Escaping Dawn
by KaigennaU
Summary: Itachi is very much alive, and as he escapes he meets a pink haired kunoichi. They run away from the world, but soon find that the world can be hard to escape. ItachixSakura Romance/drama/action/dark/angst whoa haha -takes place after manga 394-present!
1. Chapter 1

Dawn

ItachixSakura

Summary: Itachi is very much alive, and as he escapes he meets a pink haired kunoichi. They run away from the world, but soon find that the world can be hard to escape.

disclaimer:DO not OWN naruto...darn

This is going to be just scandalous, you watch and see... ahhh I cant wait!!

Chapter One:

Each step, one after another… they were first dragging with regret, weighed down with moral thoughts of right and wrong, but now they were faster, and lighter. More sure footed than ever, she pushed forward.

Her mind was clear now; the blinding fog that occupied it giving her false hope was blown away. The eye fold was lifted, and she was able to open her eyes, and see what this life was really like. What they held from her, from the world.

But none of that mattered now, as she distanced herself from their pitiful walls. None of that mattered, she was on her own now, following her own rules, and knowing exactly what is or isn't true.

At the beginning of her journey, she thought of all the people she was leaving behind, all the ones she'd be letting down. Naruto, Ino, Shizune, Tsunade, yes… she'd miss them, but it was necessary for her survival, she had to go, but no one would know the real reason… how could they?

The next time they see her, she'd be on the other side… the enemy side.

Click… click… click… every step she took she put more and more distance away from her past and forward into her future… Click… click… click… each step was one more bond she broke…. She was alone now, and that would stay that way forever, she was slowly dying inside.

She made a decision a long time ago that if she were ever to leave, she would walk, she wouldn't run away, she wouldn't be a coward… no she would walk, and if anyone tried to intercept her, well then they would intercept her blade.

She also promised herself that once she left she would never come back… the only exception being was if Naruto became Hokage, but that was unlikely to happen now from recent events.

She looked around, watching the bats fly around the blackened sky enjoying their freedom. She thought of how that was what she should be feeling… then how come it wasn't there? It was the middle of the night, and the moon made her pale skin glow under its stolen rays, but no emotions were etched on her moon laden skin. Her face was stone.

She walked on all through the night and into the next day. She wasn't one bit tired, and she bet that she would be tired for a while more. So she kept a steady beat down the dusty path leading her no where in particular.

That's the way she wanted it though. She wanted to become lost, that way if she were lost herself, how could the world ever find her then?

At forks in the road, she chose a path, when there were signs; she didn't bother to read them.

She walked and walked, with untiring energy.

One path she took brought her past a scenic field of flowing grasses and a single weeping willow tree planted right in the middle of it all.

She stopped and admired what nature had created there, and at that point she realized just how tired her legs were. The nearly buckled under her weight and cramped up.

Deciding she needed a break for her legs to recover she headed over to the weeping willow, which looked like a nice shady spot away from the relentless sun and the road.

Leaning against it she tried to remember the path she took that lead from the village to here, but was disappointed when she found that she could remember every turn.

'Damn ninja skills...' she thought.

She released her thoughts that weighed on her mind and redirected her focus on the landscape.

It was spring in Fire Country as there was evidence of it wherever you looked. The field was exploding with color as flowers poked their heads through the towering grasses of green. When ever the wind swayed the grasses a new burst of color shone through.

The animals were very active, chasing each other and building nests to house their young.

She observed the works of the world often times overlooked by others from her spot by the tree for hours. No thought crossed her mind as she simply watched and saw each animal's movements and abilities, each insect's strategy and adaptation.

The sun's rays that were able to reach through the tangled branches of the weeping willow, struck the girl's body warming her like a blanket from the bitter breeze. The grasses were soft from being newly born and served as a nice cushion for her to sit on. The trunk of the twisted tree was suitable to lean up against to be in absolute comfort. And that she was.

Soon she fell into a trance like state. She didn't allow herself to sleep, even if she did allow it she doubted that she could sleep anyway. Being in an unknown area she wouldn't let her guard down, though hours passed, she didn't think of a single thought or pay attention to anything at all. It was a type of meditation. She just relaxed the mind and body, but stayed alert at all times.

It was night again when she came out of her state of mind.

As she opened her eyes, her breath caught in her throat.

Thousands and thousands of lightening bugs lit the field creating a magical aura of the place.

'A field of dreams…' She thought 'Only I wish it did make dreams come true…' she finished her thought sadly.

Slowly she stood on shaky legs, but after a few stretches she was back and ready to start moving again.

'And now I'm off to no where in particular…' She thought faking enthusiasm.

She was about halfway back to the road when she saw flickering lights casting shadows across the field. From the angles of the shadows she realized the source of the light must be coming from behind her.

Her eyes widened as she heard a sickening crack.

She slowly turned, the light blinding her for a second until her eyes became adjusted to the intensity. The field was on ablaze, including the lone tree in the middle that she was sitting by only minutes before, also the source of the crack that filled the cool, night air, now hot with smoke and ash.

She continued watching in shock as the tree that was on fire erupted into black flames as more and more branches cracked and fell from it. A metallic ring echoed through the blazing field, as two almost non-existent slashes crossing each other glistened at the base of the tree for only a fraction of a second and disappeared.

The tree fell in a huge explosion of flames. Split in two, the halves hit the ground sending fresh ash and sparks into the air. The black flames continued to burn never ceasing even as a light rain began to cleanse the area.

Her jade eyes were glued to the trunk of the tree, never blinking. Her mouth was slightly ajar in shock. Her senses screamed at her to run or get help, but her feet refused to move. Instead she just watched as a shadowed figure stood in the middle of the destroyed tree shielding their sword.

She watched as the figure jumped over the flames clearing them with ease. She watched as they walked closer and closer, closing the distance they had between them with each step.

She watched as the man, no doubt from his body figure and height came straight towards her literally feet away.

He wore black, beat up clothes. He had no hitai-ate in his possession as far as she could see and his hair was in disarray. The only weapon he seemed to be carrying was a katana on his back, no doubt just recently used to slice apart the tree. His eyes were closed, and he looked incredibly weary.

Her mind screamed at her to get into a defensive position or too grab hold of a kunai, but again her body wouldn't move, and she had this gut feeling going against her mind that this man wouldn't do her any harm especially from how tired he looked.

So she continued to watch even as he walked right passed her as if she didn't exist.

She turned around still following him with her eyes, an expression on her face showing her disbelief that this man just walked past her without even a glance in her direction, not even an acknowledgement. He just walked passed her as if she were invisible or a rock.

'Am I really that weak looking that this person doesn't even regard me as a threat?' she thought in anger.

'Well you do have pink hair, and you're wearing a pink shirt with a skirt, not to mention you look super innocent and unscathed… soooo yea you don't look that threatening… but heyy there droopy face you're anything but weak, girl.' Her inner said.

'Droopy face?'

'Because you were frowning, geese do I HAVE to spell everything out for you?'

'Yea I guess because I'm not up to date with the loser vocabulary'

'Ouch… you do know I'm you so you pretty much dissed yourself'

'That may be true but in my head we're separate so you still got burned.'

'Dammit'

'Hah I win'

She was smiling as she came back to the present. It was quickly wiped clean off her face as she was staring back into two glowing pools of red. The Sharingan.

--

So how was it? R&R PLEASE IF YOU HAVE THE TIME.. one small second that it takes to review makes my entire day for24 hours... but eh

should I continue this or not I'm not sure.?


	2. Chapter 2

yea so I had Finals SORRY...I had to run 30 mins straight in the freezing cold in the grass.. WE HAVE A TRACK TOO BUT OUR GYM TEACHER HATES US I GUESS.. welll anyway here ya go... (I think I caught a cold achoo)

AHHHHHHHHHHH!! FIRST REVIEW EVER DONE BY Cherry-Hime-chan... dude I guess Dreams can come true... maybe I was standing in the feild of dreams today that Sakura said she was in... hmmmm??

Escaping Dawn

Chapter two:

The sharingan was ablaze in the man's eyes like the fire that burnt in the field behind the pink haired kunoichi as he looked over his shoulder. His presence consumed her, and wrapped her in a darkness that was even more sinister than night itself.

She felt his gaze rip through her. He looked directly at her eyes, the doors to the soul as they say, and nowhere else. She immediately looked downward as realization hit her hard.

'It's not possible…'

Her breath left her throat, her pulse was trying to do the same as it quickened, feeling as if it were trying to leave her body.

Thump. Thump. Thump. She felt as if the whole world could hear her heart trying to break free from her rib cage acting like a jail to it, for it was deafening to her.

Her legs began to buckle beneath her. Desperately she took a step back to stay on her feet balanced. She bent over, hands on her knees trying to regain her breath.

Her eyes were shut close tightly, as she was trying to tell herself that she just imagined those eyes, it was probably just the fire reflecting in his eyes right?

Nausea clouded her senses, as her hands now gripped her stomach. 'No...' said a voice inside her head that didn't belong to her inner incredibly calm. 'Your eyes don't deceive.'

She felt her insides lurch forward, but was relieved to find that their attempt was fruitless.

Her breathing became steadier now as she recovered her composure.

A thin layer of sweat layered her skin, glistening in the approaching fire.

Hands back on her knees she gathered up the courage and weakly lifted her head, opening her eyes hesitantly not sure if she really wanted to confirm his presence or not.

Her jade eyes widened in shock as her entire body jolted upwards. The apparition that had stood before her had vanished, she was alone standing in the field and the burning fire surrounded her from every angle.

She frantically threw her head around looking for an escape, like an animal that was cornered. She closed her eyes as a sense of remorse filled her completely.

The flames kept advancing on her, as she collapsed to her knees with her face in her hands.

Her mind went through all the memories she possessed, and hopelessly thought of an unpractical rescue that only happened in movies.

No one came, she was deserted. The flames were nearly on top of her now, feeling the heat drip off her skin, her mind cleared of useless thoughts.

The screams in her mind were heard now. She listened and obeyed, as her ninja senses were restored.

She looked around her with a new perspective. Her eyes shone with willpower and a calmness that didn't exist moments before.

She looked around assessing the situation. She found that one side of the fire was near the road where the distance wasn't as far to reach as the others.

Pulling out multiple kunai and wires, she looped them together. She threw three to the left each connected with a wire and twisted together, and three more to the right, all landing halfway between her and the road. She held the middle of the twisted wire with her hands. She leaned back putting tension on it and adding chakra to her feet.

A gush of wind blew into her face pulling at her pink tresses. She automatically looked up and saw the thickening clouds that had blended in with the night sky.

The light rain suddenly turned into a downpour, but the fire roared on. She tightened her grip on the wire, but found her hands slipping from the slick surface.

Lightening flashed from the sky and hit one of her wires sending an electrical current through her system. She fell backwards letting go of the line. Her mind barely registered that the fire around her had gone out from the heavy rains; otherwise she would have been burned severely already.

Her head rolled around with her eyes closed tight in a desperate attempt to relieve her of the pain she was feeling from the electric shock. Her head settled over her right shoulder looking up at the sky as the pain was replaced with a numb sensation.

She opened her eyes briefly. There in the trees that occupied the rest of the road ahead, was sitting the apparition, one leg bent over the tree branch and the other dangling below him. He looked down at her, his eyes glowing red, he looked like demon sent from hell to take her with him. The dying flames cast shadows of dark and light across his face only adding to the look.

Her breaths began to quicken again, and prepared to scream, but before she could, her vision began to blur. In a flash of lightening she saw the ghost disappear from his branch, and something red blind her as she fell into unconsciousness.

She began to awake. The smell of dirt and ash filled her nose causing her to breath in and out through her mouth. Through her eyelids she could see that it was very bright outside of them, so she left them closed to avoid unnecessary pain.

'Maybe it was just a dream?' her inner suggested

Feeling around her she found that she was in dry clothes and was lying on something soft, but scratchy at the same time. She felt for her weapons but found that they were taken away.

'Dammit… I don't think it was just a dream'

She concentrated on her senses. There were numerous people in the area; most were awake and moving around from their chakra patterns she felt.

'Double Dammit...' her inner swore.

She mentally rolled at her inner's alliteration (A/N: haha I just learned that  
(alliteration) in English) and continued searching the area.

Her eyes abruptly snapped open, ignoring the blinding light that shone upon her; she leapt up from the spot she had been occupying. There was a huge chakra trace she detected nearby… the very same one she felt before.

'It's him… I know it… it has to be him…' she thought. This time her inner remained quiet because for once in their life, she was speechless.

She quickly performed hand seals concealing her chakra, with slight difficulty from her near death experience last night, or was it days ago? She didn't know.

Once she completely concealed it, she reopened her senses and found that his trace had disappeared just like the night when he himself had vanished.

She twisted herself to face the door, her senses picking up a presence. She wouldn't be caught off guard now. Eyes locking on the door and legs tensed ready to move at a seconds notice she watched as the door handle rattle. There was a pause and then she heard a soft sound of metal scraping against metal and tumblers being pushed aside.

She collected chakra into her hand for her attack or defense.

The door handle turned easily now as the door budged forward, screeching in protest.

A tall man stood in the hallway clad in shadows. In his hand was a katana glinting in the light from the room. Instantly she was thrown back in a reverie, seeing the demonic figure of the apparition watching her in the trees, but almost as soon as she was thrown in it she was out.

The man held the katana between an attacking position and a defensive one.

She slid out of her stance to a standing pose, letting out a sigh of relief in the process.

"You're not a ninja, are you?" she asked. It was worded like a question but the way she delivered it spoke that she already knew the answer.

"No…" he responded anyway lowering the sword. His voice was deep and manly although it had a hint naivety.

He looked to the right lifting the sword and placing it on something stone, from the audible ring it made when they contacted.

She took this time to observe her surroundings. She stood in a sun room, obvious from the wide paneled windows letting the sunlight shine in all of its glory. All the furniture was wooden and intricately carved. They were beautiful pieces of art. She spotted a couch that most likely served as her resting spot. A cushioned chair occupied the right side of the couch. They both faced the windows that looked out at endless farmlands with occasional trees that dotted the horizon. Beyond the couch was another facing a huge stone fireplace lacking a fire at the moment. The place to say the least was breathtaking except for the dust that occupied the air showing that the room was in lack of use, until now.

She looked back at the man, to find him leaning awkwardly against the side of the door frame with his arms crossed.

The light reached his face from his position, revealing his once hidden features. He was young, but weathered. He had a thick head of black hair, and sparkling blue eyes. The man wore a black t-shirt and worn jeans with hardy shoes underneath them. Handsome to say, nonetheless.

"Where are my weapons?" she asked urgently realizing that the chakra trace had vanished, but who's to say that it wouldn't show up again.

"Look, I don't know where you com from misses, but here we like to use manners." He said rather nicely his choice of words He ended it with a smug smile.

She looked down embarrassed from her lack of civility.

"Gomen… I'm so sorry, I… I went through a lot over the past couple of days, please forgive me." She said sincerely.

He took in a breath to respond, but a girl pushed him aside from behind and came rushing into the room.

"Jakey, must you be so inconsiderate, the poor thing just woke up in a place that she doesn't know after being struck by lightening?" she scolded the young man that took his place leaning on the door frame again.

"Ok, ok… you sound like mother… and **don't** call me Jakey." He warned her.

The woman just fluttered her hand at him as she turned around to face the kunoichi.

The pink haired girl took in the young woman; no doubt near the same age of the man. The woman had a large red bow in her hair, and wore jeans with boots, and a plaid t-shirt.

"Well…" she paused to add a large, welcoming smile on her lips, "…Welcome to our home. I'm so sorry that you had to sleep in this dusty, old room on the couch, but it's all we had available."

"Plus it had a lock and I had weapons making me a ninja and possible threat, so you felt it was the safer choice too." The kunoichi told her other unspoken reason.

The woman's smile disappeared for a second, but instantly came back even larger if possible.

"Well aren't you a smart one… yes that's exactly why… I think I'm gonna like you around here."

The kunoichi that had been smiling instantly dropped it. "Well, I don't think I'll be staying long. I was traveli…"

"Oh no sweet heart its ok, do what you want, but you always have a spot here" she gestured with her arms at the room. She frowned realizing her mistake "Well not exactly here but in a spare bed we have on the other side of the house. Now let me kindly introduce ourselves, this is Jakey…" The man grunted in disapproval "…oh I mean Jakio, and I'm Nuntida, and we are from the Tang family. I'm his twin sister." She said regaining her warm smile.

"I'm Haruno Sakura."

They all bowed towards each other and then the young woman sprang forward towards Sakura.

"I'm sure you hear this all the time, but your name fits you perfectly."

"Oh thank you, and no I don't hear it that often."

"Really?" Nuntida was taken aback.

Sakura just nodded her head.

"Oh..."

"_Now_, about those weapons…"Sakura started but stopped when she was confronted by wary faces.

She sighed. She should know better than to expect these people to allow her to carry weapons in their own house after just meeting her.

"No dear, I'll get them for you Sakura-san, don't worry." Nuntida reassured her with concern in her voice.

"No you don't have to, really…"Sakura began.

"And we won't." Jakio stated firmly.

Nuntida whipped her head around to face the man looming in the doorway long forgotten.

"Again you're inconsiderate! I swear sometimes I don't even think I'm related to you. Think about it… she's in a house of strangers, wouldn't you want protection? And remember how father always talks about how he feels fragile without his weapons. Its something we can never feel, as we were never ninjas."

"Fine do whatever you want, but don't come crying to **me **when you get stabbed in the back." He said aggravated as he stomped down the dark corridor.

She turned back to Sakura. "Oh don't mind him dear, again, he's just a bit over protective, but I feel I can trust you… so I'll be back with those weapons of your and your clothes. I washed them and dried them in the suns rays, so just make yourself comfortable, if you get cold there's wood next to the fireplace there."

She left the room, shutting the door, and locking it from the audible click of the sliding tumblers falling into place.

As Sakura sat there waiting for Nuntida to come back with her things, she couldn't shake off the feeling that someone was watching her. She hoped that the young woman would return quickly otherwise she might have to break down the door to get away from this dark gaze that felt as if it was burning holes into her.

And she would never see that it was sharingan eyes that were watching her every move from the ceiling windows above.

* * *

haha interesting yet? sharingan eyes--but you dont know who they belong to muahahahahah

PLEASE R&R!!


	3. Chapter 3

Hey there... heres the new chapter...I updated fast because I received more comments and that made me happy to update hahah YAY!!

THANKS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED:

itachixrox

crazy fan 35

Cherry-Hime-Chan

-you guys made my dream come true of getting reviews, so I hope you all like the chapter... the next one will have Itachi in it haha YAYAYAYA!

Escaping Dawn

Chapter 3:

Minutes passed like hours to Sakura as she sat on the couch fidgeting uncomfortably. The stare she felt never ceased to burn holes into her.

She closed her eyes trying to think of other things, like where she was going to go, or how the leaf village was coping without her. But as soon as she closed her eyes, one picture kept flashing in the dark abyss.

The phantom that haunted her. The picture was the same every time; he was sitting in the tree watching her fall, with eyes ablaze like the demon everyone thought he was.

She quickly opened her eyes to escape the horrifying image, only to feel the stare once again.

She had already spread her senses looking for the source of this criticizing stare, but couldn't find a single trace. That had made her heart skip a beat, for it proved her theory wrong of someone in the house watching her, because none of them were ninjas, except their father who is most likely a retired ninja who couldn't be able to conceal their chakra that good.

No… it had to be someone else, someone strong, and someone… dark. Her leg started to bounce up and down with anxiety, her throat became parched. She stared out the window at nothing particular with intensity. She was about to lose it, she wasn't safe here, not even in her mind either.

Her leg bounces began to rapidly increase... she had to get out of here. Those stares so dark, so pessimistic, they had to belong to him… the apparition of her nightmares, the apparition of darkness. Instantly she thought of his menacing figure looking upon her with glowing red eyes.

Her breathing became faster matching her leg, as the stare seemed to intensify on her.

"Leave me alone!!" she screamed standing up and sprinting towards the door. As soon as she reached it, it sprung open nearly knocking her down. She ran past a very frightened Nuntida and along the dark corridor and flying down the winding steps.

She couldn't escape it, she felt like the stare was following her everywhere. She grabbed her hair as she whipped her head around looking for an exit, but none was to be found.

'Calm down' her inner soothed.

"Shut up!!" Sakura screamed aloud, as she sprinted into a room with the door slightly ajar.

As she got in, she shut the door behind her and slid down it exhausted from all the adrenalin pumping through out her body. She closed her eyes and was relieved to find that the picture of the apparition did not greet her.

Her quickening breaths subsided, as her sanity returned.

She sat there, focusing on breathing out and in, as no thoughts ran through her head.

A sound of someone standing up caused her eyes to snap open. There in the dark was a silhouette looking down at her from the angle of his head. Her breathing increased, as the shadow moved forward towards her very slowly. A feeling of despair filled her entirely; she just couldn't escape him, this demon of hell.

She couldn't move, frozen to the door she was.

He stood in front of her now. He reached out.

Lights blinded her as she quickly closed her eyes from the pain she expected to feel. She thought that she had to be dead now, because of the silence there was and the bright light that consumed her. But why was it so bright? Should it not be red and dark in hell?

She opened her eyes slowly, letting them become accustomed to the brightness.

There an older man about in his forties stood above, smiling down at her. He had black hair a stunning blue eyes, darker than Jakio's but no doubt he was the young man's father.

She breathed out in relief.

'Gosh, you are super paranoid these days… I thought you were stronger than that.' Her inner criticized.

'Shut your trap, they just caught me in a weakened state considering what happened in the last few days.' Sakura replied.

Her inner stayed silent agreeing to what she said.

"Young Lady?" the man said in a scratchy one that reminded her of the couch she had slept on. Soft but abrasive.

She snapped back to reality,

"Huh?"

"Young Lady, I asked what is your name." The man restated.

"Oh…It's Haruno Sakura." She told him.

"Ah, greeting Miss Haruno-san, I'm Tang Daikio, the owner of this house and land." He told her rather proudly, but hardly in an arrogant way.

He lent out his hand and as she accepted, as he pulled her up onto her feet.

"Nice to meet you Tang-san, you have a lovely home from what I have seen."

"You had time to see it, when you ran past it at top speed. Correct me if I'm wrong, but at top speeds, the surrounding area appears blurry, do they not." He teased her with a smile on his lips.

She looked down embarrassed.

He took her chin in his rough, calloused hands and made her look him in the eye. "It's nothing to be ashamed of Miss Haruno-san, it happens to the best of us; heck it happens to all of us."

She smiled up at him in a thankful sort of way. He removed his hand and opened the door, with an arm extended out through the doorway.

He beckoned her, "Now, I would like to hear more about you Miss Haruno-san, but first let us go to a more suitable area to talk."

She nodded her head, a bit reluctant to leave the place she was able to escape the dark gaze that followed her everywhere else, but she went anyways. It would be weird to talk to a man in his bedroom.

As she walked out into natural light she was relieved to find that the looming presence had left her.

She waited as Daikio closed the door behind him and locked it.

'These people are cautious' She thought.

'I completely concur' her inner agreed.

Sakura made a face at her inner in her head.

'What? These people talk with elegance, it's so addicting.' Her inner explained to Sakura for her choice of words.

'Uh-huh'

She came back to the present to find Daikio with an elbow extended towards her at her side.

She looked at it confused. She looked up at him for an explanation, but he looked ahead with a smile showing that he wanted her to figure it out.

Her mind quickly went through a million different purposes for the arm and the possible scenario it would cause.

Her inner suddenly stopped her thought process.

'It's to loop your arm through stupid, it's a classy act.'

'Oh… hehe' she thought embarrassed as she looped her arm with his.

She followed his lead into a gorgeous dining room with antler chandeliers lining the ceiling above a long, wooden table carved with beautiful pictures along its legs and top.

The chairs were far from lacking detail too, as they were on each side of the table 20 in all.

They walked through it to another room filled with expensive looking couches and cushioned chairs.

He brought her to couch behind a wooden coffee table and beckoned her to sit. He took a seat in a cushioned chair just to the right, angled to see each other without straining ones neck.

She sat rather uncomfortably due to the fact that it was such a high class place, and she was dressed in a cotton t-shirt and shorts.

The man noticed this and reassured her, "Don't worry about your appearance here Miss Haruno-san, we do not judge, and if you care to look at the outfit I wear now then maybe you would be convinced more."

She felt a bit more comfortable seeing the outfit he wore which matched Jakio's. But she was confused by it.

"May I ask Tang-san, why do all of you dress in that way, when it's so obvious you could be dressed in much nicer clothes?" she questioned hesitantly.

He laughed at her tone warmly, as he pulled out a cigar and lit it.

"My dear Haruno-san, you can call me Daikio. And to answer your question, we do not judge as I said before, therefore, we do not care what out appearance tells others. Plus we like to work on our farmlands ourselves, and we do not want to wear the best of clothes for that. This house may look expensive to you, but the reality is that it was made by our own hands and it hardly cost much to make, because we used all the lumber in here from the trees we cut down. And all these masterworks of furniture was made by my son Jakio, he has a fine talent for it."

She gasped at the fact that the man she had met before could produce such pieces of art.

"Now, allow me to ask you a question Miss, Haruno-san..."

"Oh, Daikio-san, you can call me Sakura as well."

"Alright Miss Sakura-san, what were you doing out in the field on the night it burned?" he asked seriously.

"I was resting against the weeping willow that occupied its center, when I awoke it was night, and I went to leave, but I found that the field was ablaze..." she paused thinking whether or not to tell him the full truth. "…and the flames encircled me completely, I tried to make an escape with wires used as bungee cords and chakra in my feet to propel me to the road where it was safe, but lightning struck my wires and I fell unconscious." She thought it better for him and her not to know.

There was silence as the man took in the information.

"That's when my daughter Nuntida found you." He informed her.

'That's why I saw a flash of red, it was her bow.' Sakura realized.

"Well, I won't keep you any longer as my children are trying to find you now, I can feel."

"They said you used to be a ninja, but your skills are still sharp."

"Yes. I don't fight anymore or train, but I still keep up my senses, I find them very… useful"

"Ah…"

"Run along now Miss Sakura-san, they are growing anxious every second we wait."

She nodded her head, and stood. She bowed, as he lowered his head from his seat in return.

She left the room and found them right outside the dining room entrance.

They both ran to her and latched onto her arms.

"Where were you dear!?" Nuntida asked out of breath.

"What did you do!?" Jakio yelled accusing Sakura of something she didn't do.

She looked at him with confusion shining in her eyes. "What do you mean by what did I do?" she asked him.

"I'll show you." He said ripping her out of Nuntida's grip and pulling her up to the sun room.

They came into it and found almost every window shattered, and the couches torn apart.

She stared at the scene wide-eyed as Nuntida came in behind them.

"Jakio…" she yelled. "…I'm telling you this wasn't here when she left. I was here and this room was fine."

He whipped around to face her pulling Sakura with him.

"You're just trying to defend her!" He yelled back.

"No, I'm not, I'm telling the truth like I've always had."

"But then how do you know if she went back into the room later and took it apart!?"

"Because I was stunned to say the least that I stood here in the corridor the entire time. No one went past me."

He released his grip on her arm, which would no doubt leave bruises later.

He walked up to Nuntida pulling her into a hug. He whispered into her ear, "My dear sister, I trust you, but please promise me that you will not be so careless, I can do only so much to protect you."

"I'm not as weak as you think brother, but yes, I will promise you." She whispered back.

With that he left the room heading down the stairs.

Nuntida looked to Sakura with a sullen face. "I know you did not do this, and I will not ask what you think might have, but please stay for a few more days, to establish your innocence with our family and to secretly protect us from whatever did commit this, and just be careful of what you do and say." She told in a way so unlike her character before she too left the room.

Sakura watched as Nuntida went down the steps and disappeared from sight. She waited until she couldn't hear her quiet footsteps anymore, then she turned around.

She examined the room closely looking for any clues to whom may have done this.

Nothing, the entire place was clean. Only someone with skill can do that. She hated the feel of the room, so open and easy to be caught from behind.

She constantly kept looking behind her, to make sure she was not going to be caught off guard.

After hours of more searching, she still didn't find a single clue.

Frustrated she threw her up and stared at the ceiling. She noticed that there were ceiling windows. Three to be exact and the one in the middle was shattered. She applied chakra to her feet and climbed the wall.

She approached the window and saw a piece of material fluttering in the light breeze caught to one of the sharp edges of broken glass that remained attached to its frame.

She carefully plucked the material from its spot. It was black and had a silky feel in her hand, but it was very thick. She turned it over, nearly falling from the ceiling at what she saw. Printed on the other side was a red cloud. Akatsuki.

* * *

R&R PLEASE IT WILL MAKE ME UPDATE FASTER!!


	4. Chapter 4

Awe you guys are soo nice... well here's the next chapter...

THANKS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED!!:

crazy fan 35

BlackButterfly-RedRose

itachixrox

Cherr-Hime-Chan

Seriously you guys make me feel loved and I keep writing this story just for you guys!! You are my inspiration to keep going with this. Well here it is Chapter 4 hope you like it!!

Escaping Dawn

Chapter 4:

Sakura didn't want to worry the family by the evidence she found so she kept it secret, though she always kept high alert out for anything peculiar. She thought their safety was more important than proving her innocence, for telling them what she found could result in them making a commotion and force the intruder to show himself earlier than they had planned.

She spent the rest of the day with the twins in her regular attire equipped with her weapons and all. They ventured out to a nearby town that supplied a hardware shop to buy new windows and supplies for making new furniture.

Ahead of them walked Jakio clearly not wanting to talk in her presence or wanting to even be near her. He still expected her to be the culprit and untrustworthy she assumed. But why shouldn't he, she was a ninja, a person trained in the art of deception, and plus the fact that they only met each other hours before.

The entire time they walked, Nuntida babbled on and on about everything there was to speak about, literally. Sakura wasn't paying attention as her mind was pulled to different topics.

Once in a while when Nuntida would look over at her, she responded with a "yeah" or "really?" to satisfy the young woman that she was listening. She fell for the act and continued on with the stories she told.

She couldn't stop thinking about why Akatsuki was there at the house. Was it because she was staying there? Or was it the apparition that haunted her every thought and dream? Either way she didn't know why they were there, and all she could do was protect these civilians from any danger.

They made it to the hardware store and back with all the right supplies, but the entire time Sakura felt like she wasn't really there as her mind on other things.

Walking back with the purchased things slowed them down considerably, except for Sakura of course being a ninja she was used to traveling and training with heavy weights, so she now led.

The twins were having a quiet conversation, most likely about her she assumed, but didn't want to intrude with listening, so she closed off her senses as they talked and let her mind focus on her earlier topics.

She walked without really knowing where she was going, kind of like how she was walking before she came to the Tang house… no not house… mansion, that's what it is.

'Yeah the Tangs have to be rich I mean look at their house, and did you see how they paid for the items!? They paid in cash for 600 dollars worth of stuff!! GOSH.' Her inner mused.

'Really…?'

"Pshhht… yeah you didn't notice? Because I sure did, and I think the entire crowd of girls around the cash register noticed too. he he… Hey ya know Jakio right?'

"No I don't…' Sakura replied sarcastically.

'Haha you're funny' her inner replied sarcastically as well. 'No seriously though… do you like him?'

'Well that depends on if he likes me.' Sakura answered a bit annoyed.

'Oh… well I think he likes you, but he just doesn't show it… besides he is HOTT!!'

She rolled her eyes at her inner. 'Listen he doesn't like me.'

'AH-HA!! But you don't deny that he is HOTT!!' she yelled victoriously.

'Ok ok you caught me, but he isn't hot, he's just cute, but he doesn't like me I'm telling you…'

'Yeah yeah, whatever Miss 'I'm so smart but oblivious,' then how do you explain that he's walking next to you on the left trying to get your attention.' She said waving her hand at her like Nuntida had done to Jakio.

"WHAT!?" Sakura yelled audibly looking to the left.

No one was there.

'Ha ha, I just made you look stupid, he's on your right HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!' her inner laughed hysterically in her head.

Her face twisted into an annoyed expression as she slowly turned her head to the right to face none other than Jakio, who was looking at her weirdly.

He shook his head and looked back at his sister. She most likely gave him a face that if he didn't go through with whatever she told him to, he would be in pain. So he turned to Sakura again and cleared his throat.

He sighed, "Sakura-san…I just want to apologize…"

"No, no, Jakio-san, you had every right to distrust me, you need not to apologize for your behavior." Sakura cut in sincerely.

"But I want to make full amends…"

'What a gentleman…' her inner complemented.

'Shhhh….' Sakura thought while smiling in encouragement to Jakio.

"Sakura I know I didn't much show it, or demonstrate it in anyway, but… um… would you… like…." He sighed. "Would you like to go to dinner with me tonight?" he asked more fluidly than before.

She looked down at her feet in thought totally in surprise.

'AHAHAHAHAHAH I KNEW IT, oh my gosh we are so lucky he is FINE!!'

'Shut up I'm thinking'

'HEY!! You better accept, it's not like you're gonna get anything better than him especially after…'

'THAT'S ENOUGH!' Sakura yelled at her inner.

She looked back up to Jakio and smiled huge, "Of course I'll accompany you."

He smiled back truly happy as Nuntida came bounding up to them falling over from being off balanced by the enormous objects she held in her arms. Sakura and Jakio saved her before she could completely hit the ground.

"Ah thank you Jakio, Sakura-san…" she suddenly turned to Sakura, "AHHHH!! Now we have to buy you a dress, or you can just use one of mine if you don't want to make another trip to town… Ahh I can't wait, I can do your hair and make-up. You. Will. Look. Gorgeous!!" she yelled excitedly.

Sakura and Jakio walked ahead smiling; leaving Nuntida as she rambled on with more and more things that she said she would do to Sakura, and how she was the perfect match-maker.

"Jakio-san?"

"Please call me Jakio." He said taking her free hand with his.

She giggled like a school girl with her first crush. "Ok, Jakio."

"Now, what did you want to ask, Sakura?" He let the name slide off his tongue.

"I thought you didn't like me at all, where did this…" she motioned to their intertwined hands and Jakio, "…come from?"

His smile disappeared as he looked down at his feet looking for the best explanation.

"You see…" he looked up at the road ahead of him. "…I had a girlfriend once before, she was beautiful and smart, just like you. We were dating for a long time, and during this I neglected my family only focusing on her. I didn't notice their somber faces and hatred for the girl at all. One day I came home early from work in my furniture shop, and I heard a heated conversation from the sun room between her and my sister. The woman I dated had threatened my sister to keep paying her money otherwise she would kill them. I barged into the room with the katana, and… well…"

"Its alright… you don't have to continue, I understand." Sakura soothed as she rubbed his back with her free hand. "I understand..."

He looked over at her, straight in the eye, "But I trust you and I have a feeling that it is not misplaced this time."

She swallowed, and pulled him into a hug to hide the look in her eyes that told him otherwise.

After she was sure she was in control of her expression, she released the hug, and the rest of the walk was taken in silence.

They arrived back and repaired the sun room. It would take a couple of days to fully restore the furniture though.

They worked the rest of the day in the field under the sun, planting tomato plants, corn, and pea plants. The steady breeze kept the heat from taking its full affect upon them.

It was coming close to dusk and almost time for the dinner she would be sharing with Jakio alone. She smiled in anxiety for such a date with him.

Wiping the sweat from her brow, she went into the woods where he said he had gone to cut wood. She wanted to make sure the date with him was still on, even though she knew it was. She just wanted an excuse to talk to him.

Her mind ran with dreams of kissing him and holding hands walking by the water's edge.

She spotted him in a clearing near a pile of freshly cut wood. She decided to surprise him, so she crept up silently like any ninja could. She extended her hand to touch his back.

She could barely keep her laughter in as she thought of what his face would look like when she surprised him.

"Surprise Jakio!!" she yelled as she grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.

Her smile fell from her face as a shocked one replaced it. As soon as she touched his shoulder he was pulled apart and turned into black crows flying away into the sky.

She took as step back in horror… only he could do this. Spinning around, she went to run but collided with a tree… no… it was soft, but solid… a human. She took a step back staring at the man's chest covered in a cloak of black with red clouds.

She closed her eyes as she lost her breath. Her mouth was ajar as she slowly opened her eyes while angling her head up only to meet his overpowering gaze locked upon her.

She saw flashes of the night he was in the trees reappear before her eyes; no… she had to be imagining him, like all the other times.

She looked into his bloody pits, the demon's eyes ablaze and glowing crimson. They were the definition of hell itself. Looking into them, she could see all the lives he took, and as she looked longer, she saw her own reflection in them… this was it… this wasn't anybody else now, his image is too clear to be imaginary.

His presence consumed her once again, like a thick cloak wrapped too tightly and suffocating her, making her unable to catch her breath. She lifted her chin in desperation to regain her breath, never breaking eye contact with him as she found it impossible to do, but her breaths never came.

A new emotion washed through her, a different one that she ad ever felt before. It felt like it was leaking through a barrier and finally showing it existed.

A new ninja self, strong and fearless was able to break through her emotional state. Instead of cowering in fear under his gaze it took over allowing her to stare at him now with a firm look that was unwavering.

She still couldn't move from shock, but his presence seemed to have less of an effect on her, allowing her to breathe again. Her mouth closed and her face displayed nothing, resembling the apparition's own emotionless one. This emotion was

Something flickered in those deep pools of red, but she didn't have time to figure it out, as she was consumed by darkness as pain flashed through her body. The last thing she remembered was collapsing onto the forest floor.

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

She awoke once again on something soft, but this time no light was there waiting to blind her when she opened her eyes. It was dark, and from the sound of crickets seeping in through the windows, it was night.

'I'm getting real tired of this…' her inner complained.

'You're telling me.'

She opened her eyes and found herself in a room she never saw before. A place in the mansion she was never in perhaps? They did say that she could stay in a different room, a guest room they possessed to be exact.

She strained her eyes trying to see through the darkness that blanketed the walls. Only a slight sliver of light came in from the crescent moon outside her window through semi-transparent curtains.

There was dark wood furniture around the room that included a dresser and two nightstands on either side of the king sized bed.

She was unable to see the detail they most likely possessed from the hand of Jakio.

Ah…Jakio. She almost forgot about him.

'Shimatta… I missed our dinner.' She thought angrily.

'Well… He'll understand... He is a gentleman after all.' Her inner soothed.

'I hope so.' She thought worried.

Her attention was pulled away from her mind and to the light that clicked on outside the door.

"Jakio?" she called trying to sit up, but found it difficult. The strain she put on her body made the back of her head throb in pain, as she collapsed back onto the sofa.

The door opened and revealed the boy she had called out to.

She sighed in relief as she tried to sit up again but to no avail.

"Jakio, I think I must have hurt myself pretty bad, I cant seem to sit up, can you help me?" she asked him sweetly.

He continued to stare at her, to the point where it became unnerving.

"Jakio…? What's wrong de…" she never completed the question before Jakio's appearance faded away leaving the demonic apparition fully dressed in black. His eyes glowed red in the darkness of the room.

"No… this is a dream" she whispered, desperately trying to convince herself.

Abruptly, memories of their encounter in the woods came flying back to her.

She looked around frantically for anything to defend herself with. That's when she noticed it, in the glowing light from the other room, she was not in the Tang's mansion anymore, but in a hotel room from the phone that occupied one of the nightstands and smell of the air depicting air freshener, not that of the mansion's aroma .

She also saw the chakra ropes restraining her from her wrists and feet. They were no doubt stripping her of her chakra supply too.

She collapsed back onto the bed, utterly in shock. Her breath left her chest as it did often these days it seemed. She stared up at the ceiling unwilling to look at the demon in the doorway, knowing that once she made eye contact she would be caught by his spell and unable to look away.

He appeared at her bed side, unheard and incredibly too fast for her to even see. She nearly screamed seeing him appear so quickly at her side.

She shut her eyes tight avoiding eye contact at all costs. He was so close she could smell his aroma of musk and woods. It tickled her nose as she was finally able to inhale.

Although her eyes were closed she could still feel his stare bore into her, watching her soul writher under his gaze.

"Who am I?" he asked in a deep silky tone, though it was all the same icy.

She stayed silent not knowing what to say.

"Say my name." he commanded more sternly.

She opened her eyes hesitantly to make sure it was him, the ghost… the demon of her nightmares. As she stared into his eyes, she knew this was reality, they were face to face now, and there was no escaping it. His face was impassive, but why shouldn't it be? He was a murderer, one used to death surrounding him and people horrified in his presence.

She swallowed finding it hard with her parched throat, her eyes were locked with his unable to look away now, she was trapped; she had to answer.

"You're supposed to be dead…" she was able to force out on her dried tongue in shallow breaths.

His gaze was unwavering as he answered, "I am…"

Her vision began to blur, as her limits were over exceeded, and the effect of depleting chakra took affect over her.

On her lasts breaths before she fell into unconsciousness, she breathed the answered to his question, "…Itachi…. Uchiha…"

Darkness consumed her as glowing, red eyes left her side.

* * *

Alright how did you like it? Oh and don't worry about the part where Itachi says "I am" he doesnt actually mean it physically if you catch my drift. And for the whole "what is my name" thing I'll explain that later in the story.

So any Question??

R&R PLEASE-SERIOUSLY IT HELPS ME WRITE FASTER... CRITICISM IS WELCOME TOO!!


	5. Chapter 5

Hey there guys... I worked on this literally all day.. I cannot say I am satisfied with it as I was the others, there will probably be numerous changes done to it later on but before then enjoy (hopefully) hehe

THANKS REVIEWERS (from the last chapter) YOU MADE MY DAY AND ALL MI DREAMS COME TRUE!! (yes i said 'mi' hehe):

crazy fan 35- I know its nnot even a story until hes inttroduced right haah... he mucho sexy...yum

Hermione's BOY- yea I know what you mean... I hope this chapter will sortof help with that.

burningdarkness-thanks I like horror stuff haha... well I hope you enjoy this chapter too ;))

ALL MY READERS OUT THERE TOO LAZY TO REVIEW YOUR MISSING OUT hehe

Escaping Dawn

Chapter 5:

Sakura tossed and turned in her unnatural sleep, having nightmares of the people she loved turn their backs on her.

_-Nightmare-_

_"You're worse than trash." Kakashi spat in her face._

_Tears brimmed her eyes as she turned away from him only to encounter Naruto._

_Naruto just glared at her unable to form words in his heated state. The look in his eyes accused her. It condemned her… She fell to her knees just from the effect it had on her._

_"Naruto… I…" she spoke in desperation reaching out to him, but she stopped herself, she couldn't tell him, she couldn't even look at him, but her eyes stayed glued to his features. Her stomach was twisted in a knot as hot tears fell from her face wetting the ground beneath her._

_He looked down at her hand and then away, seeing how she couldn't even explain herself. The look read, 'I-don't-even-know-you-anymore.'_

_She felt like she was hit in the gut as her breath caught in her throat. She fell onto her back, as tears ran silently down her cheeks with her mouth held open in shock._

_It killed her inside, seeing his face like that, and knowing how he will forgive almost anyone for anything, but he clearly didn't forgive her here… but she didn't expect him or anyone else to did she?… what she did was unforgiveable… and she had to keep reminding herself that._

_She turned away from him too, but found herself looking at all of Konoha now._

_She scanned the crowd with her eyes from her position on the ground. She saw Tsunade with her face hidden in her hands, and all the rest of the people pointing at her in accusation. Fire was burning in their eyes and in their hands as they held torches like they were searching for some monster._

_'I'm the monster' she thought._

_She suddenly found herself chained to the ground, as all the residents came rushing forward with their weapons of choice yelling out in hatred._

_Her focus was not on them though as she was able to see Tsunade shake her head in dread and walk away with dripping hands, but what did Sakura expect her to do? Nothing… absolutely nothing._

_After Tsunade was lost from view, Sakura looked up at the skies waiting for the pain to come forth. Looking up she saw the top of someone's head standing over her at her feet. She looked down and saw a young woman, about her age with dark, matted hair strewn across their pale face._

_Sakura's jade eyes widened in horror._

_The girl's eyes bore into her soul, cutting through her like a dull knife. They saw everything, nothing was hidden._

_"Are you going to turn your back on Naruto like you did to all of Konoha… and me…? It is time for us to turn our back on you…" she whispered in an ethereal tone. Though it was whispered, it echoed through the dark world her mind created. The girl before her raised a katana in the air, as Sakura watched helplessly. The young woman brought it down upon her._

She awoke abruptly before the contact between flesh and metal was made. From the angle of the light that came in through the window, it was morning she calculated instantly from being a ninja.

A layer of sweat lined her skin as she breathed heavily with her eyes closed. She was thankful that the dream had ended… she didn't need any reminders.

She tried to move her hand to rub her head from the oncoming headache, but found the movement restricted.

She tried again, but the feeling of something cutting into her wrist stopped her actions. She remembered now as she shut her eyes tight, the woods, the room, the fire, his glowing eyes… Itachi Uchiha held her captive.

"Please, let this be another nightmare." She whispered to herself in a broken tone, as tears gathered under her eyes lids.

"You're very much awake…" a voice informed her. From the silky deep qualities, she knew exactly who it was, and it sent chills up her spine.

She opened her eyes slowly not sure if she wanted to see him or not, but she didn't have a choice; she didn't want to be at his mercy no matter how much she already was by letting him have an advantage over her by being blind to his moves. He was sitting above, on the dresser looking down upon her with piercing eyes, like an owl observing its prey.

She prepared her self to scream, but he stopped her before she could even draw a breath with a simple sentence, "No one will hear you."

She looked at him as if he were crazy. They were in a hotel room for goodness sake, someone would be around.

A thought echoed through her mind scaring her even more than before, 'He murdered everyone here…' Her eyes widened in terror at the end of this thought as her heart beats and breathing quickened.

She locked eyes with him unable to break the contact she had made, she was trapped now. It seemed only he had the power to break it.

Minutes passed and all was silent. She was slowly being driven insane underneath her exterior. Her blood began to boil, and her stomach tangled up into painful knots. She couldn't stand it, one more minute locked on his face with no where to turn to, she was sure she would go mad.

Something inside of her snapped and she felt different somehow now. That emotion, that… feeling she had never felt before came back, stronger than before this time, as though the crack it had come through before was growing ever wider or a switch had been hit.

Even in the fragile situation she was placed, a form of courage rushed through her now, allowing her to speak, something she could hardly do earlier. She appreciated this feeling and how it gave her new strength from within, but something came with it… something dark…. Something about it wasn't right, but for now it was her only resort.

She cleared her throat to avoid breaks and squeaks in her voice so as to not to look weak in front of his gaze that locked her in place like a deer caught in headlights. Although who's to say that an act would be able to fool him.

"Where am I?" she asked, winded but slightly proud that it was partially smooth and without breaks.

Minutes passed before he responded, "A hotel room…."

'Pshht… that was helpful...' her inner remarked sarcastically.

Sakura ignored her inner as she digested what he said with a new view on things.

'From his answer I can conclude that he will only tell me enough to answer the question, but not enough to jeopardize anything he has planned. At least we're getting somewhere.'

To her surprise, he continued the answer minimally, "…a hotel used only in a different season than this."

She was somewhat relieved to hear that answer, "So you didn't kill anyone here?" she asked hopefully, forgetting her place.

He didn't answer her, as he bore into her with his emotionless façade.

She swallowed, as her fear gradually made it way back into her system breaking through the new feeling she had only moments before.

"Then… why am I… still alive?" she asked warily, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer. She noticed the courage she had felt was draining away.

Her eyes were refilled with emotions that coursed through her. Horror, anticipation, hatred, guilt, and remorse, everything was seen through her eyes and he saw them all.

He drew a breath, hardly audible to the ear, but visible from his chest.

"Your eyes are filled with emotion… that will change…"his voice deepened if possible, the room felt different… it felt… ominous.

Her eyes widened with fear as her pulse and breaths froze in place.

"What!?" she whispered, hardly able to speak.

"…everything will change." He finished, with a look in his eye that seemed distant as they darkened.

She involuntarily followed his movements as he jumped down from the dresser with a fluid motion and walked slowly to the door that led to the other room. He allowed her to break free from his stare when he closed his eyes at the entrance.

She immediately turned her head away to face the window, avoiding the man's figure. She took a breath of relief from being able to get away from his unwavering gaze, but it troubled her in someway she did not know.

"How are you still alive?" she whispered.

He whispered something back to her looking out into the other room, holding onto the doorway before he left shutting the door, but it didn't go by unheard by Sakura, as her question didn't go unheard by him. Her view on him changed almost completely by that one sentence, although she still regarded him as a murderer… she felt as if there was something more to him than that.

_"I ask myself that very same question everyday…"_

….

…

…

…

She must have fallen asleep, for now it was almost dusk when she awoke for the second time that day.

She saw the room and immediately knew where she was. It was finally sinking in that she was in a hotel room with the Itachi Uchiha as her captor and it never failed to twist her stomach into knots every time.

Feeling less pressure on her wrists she tried moving them and found that they were free from their restraints.

She tried her legs next but found them harder to move than her wrists had been. She sat up with slight difficulty from being kept like that for hours she reasoned. A slight headache thrummed through her skull.

On each leg there was a metal chain attached to her ankle, strengthened by chakra, as she could feel the traces of it with her weakened senses. The chains were loosely bound to the bed posts allowing her to move around the room to a limit.

She immediately wanted to exercise this capability so she slid her feet over the side of the bed finding it difficult to move with the added weight.

She placed her feet on the ground and tried to stand, but instantly fell back onto the bed as she was overwhelmed with pain coursing through her body.

She breathed deeply in attempt to relieve it but found her efforts useless.

After minutes of pain, it finally died down leaving only a prickling feel.

'Great I'm stuck in this position until I can muster up enough strength to move again...' she thought acerbically.

Her legs were draped unceremoniously over the side of the bed, and her upper half was bent backward over the edge and on the top.

'Haha... wait until he finds you like that.' Her inner mocked.

'I hate you.' she thought in annoyance.

Right when she finished that thought, she heard the door swing open. Although she didn't see him, due to the fact she was facing the other way she knew it was him, just from the dark aura he gave off.

She cringed, thinking about what he was going to do.

He appeared at her side, his footsteps unheard, even by her ear. He didn't even look at her as he walked past placing a tray of food on the nightstand closest to her.

He started walking back towards the other room, but before he completely left he told her, "Your body is weak from chakra drain." Then he left. His voice seemed different from their last encounter, blanker, more… emotionless. She didn't like it… it scared her more than his other voice that was icy.

She didn't touch her food. She didn't trust him.

They spent two more weeks there. Nothing really happened during this time. She was cut off from the outside world, so she heard nothing her entire stay.

What Jakio did, if people were killed, how Konoha was doing… all was kept from her. Sakura was nearly going insane from the lack of communication, as Itachi never spoke anymore; he seemed lifeless than ever, sometimes she wondered if he is still a ghost. She needed to talk, so she often found herself having more and more conversations with her inner, but they mostly left her believing she was finally insane to be speaking with herself.

Her day mostly consisted of ignoring the food she was given from Itachi, talking to herself, and strengthening her body. She also tried to figure out escape methods.

She eventually adjusted her body to her new weakened state without her chakra. Sakura was finally able to move around easily with the chains around her ankles and this took only a grand total of four painful days, but they were worth it she thought. She was able to figure out the maximum distance she could travel on the chain.

She formed a plan. She would eat small portions of food, that would look as if she hadn't eaten anything at all, which would increase her strength, but make it look to him as if she would be weakened from her lack of food. She also stole the utensils he gave her to eat with.

One day he came in with another one of her meals. She laid on the bed looking as weak as she could, waiting until he placed the food down and went to leave. She wanted to make sure she was out of his range of sight, so until she couldn't see the corner of his eye anymore she charged him, pulling out a sharpened fork he had given her in one of her meals.

She was nearly on top of him when he was instantly facing her. He seized her hand easily disarming her and caught her before she could land on him by the front of her shirt.

She whimpered in his grasp from the strain she put on her muscles. It seems as though she would have known that any attempt was pointless against him, but she was a wild bird caught in a cage, and animals go crazy when they want to be free.

When she opened her eyes they were staring face to face, but something was different in his eyes. They were not demonic as she often found they were lately, they were different in some way… they almost looked…. Sorry. But as soon as she noticed he looked away setting her down on her feet, as he left the room.

He hadn't com back in since then. She was beginning to wonder if he had just left her there to die.

It had been nearly a week and a half, when he finally entered her room again.

She looked over at him weakly from her position on the bed. The girl was weakened with hunger, resorting to eating her last meal given to her, even though she was still wary of it.

He looked down upon her, but even though she locked eyes with him, her eyesight fell to her feet, able to break the contact for the first time ever.

Her breathing began to slow. Being a medic, she knew her conditions were unstable.

She heard him turn around and walked to the door, his steps heavy with hesitation, but he stopped right before he left and paused for a moment. Earlier than she even could ever sense it he was at her side with her wrist in his hand.

His touch was warm which surprised her; she always thought that someone without a heart would be cold.

She watched his movements through half-lidded eyes as he cut the restraints from her ankles. As soon as he did, she felt warmth return to her, though her strength took its time. She watched as chakra poured out of his hands and into her chest. Slowly her breathing came back to normal, and her heartbeat felt fine.

It was the first time ever that she had normal vitals in his presence, but it was probably because she was too weak to care.

Slowly she drifted into a sleep, from the added warmth she felt and for the fact that she was well worn out.

She awoke to the chill night air seeping in through the open window; she opened her eyes and found that some of her strength was regained to her pleasure.

Looking over towards the door she gasped. Itachi was sleeping in a chair pulled inform the other room. She looked over his features. He looks so peaceful when he sleeps. He looks warm and alive, it's so ironic she thought.

She looked over to the window looking out over pine forest, glowing in the moonlight. This was her chance. She could escape now. He was asleep, the window was open, and she was free from the restraints, not to mention that some of her strength as back, so she could travel far. But where to…? She was sure the Tangs had found out about her by now, seeing as they were probably looking for her and stumbled across the truth.

But all that didn't matter now, she could escape... She looked back at him to make sure he was asleep. He didn't even move, except for the steady rise and fall of his chest.

She slid out of bed, her eyes lever leaving his body as she silently crept to the window. She looked out at the forest, inhaling their fresh scent, it was intoxicating. The night breeze blew in around her, sending chills up her skin.

She grabbed the side of the frame firmly. She tensed her muscles and closed the window, finding it tough because it was stuck in its place.

She looked down at her hands with a small smile on her lips.

'I hope I made the right decision… no… I think… no... no… I know I made the right decision. Somehow I just know' she thought still smiling and slightly shaking her head.

She turned around to see glowing, red eyes consume her from across the room.

* * *

Awe how sweet she decided to stay...

what is this new feeling she is experiencing you ask, well it will be answered later on but you can guess.. PRIZES FOR THOSE WHO ARE CLOSE!! (prizes of your own choice ooooo 0.0)

Do you like how she attacked Itachi with a fork HAHAHAH I laughed at the visualzation every time.

Well they're beginning to talk, and now Itachi saved her... this was going to be a much longer process, but I decided to shorten it hehe, I was tired of writing fillers :))

Oh and I have finals tomarrow and the next day and then Im goin on vacation so it might be a while before I update... hey be happy that I updated now when I should be studying hahah oh well Ill try to update of my vacation.

Alright well my bird here (a masked lovebird thats oh. so. cute.) is getting fidgety and wants to go to bed, so ja ne!!

R&R PLEASE IM BEGGING YOU-- plus that button looks awefully lonesome ;))


	6. Chapter 6

Hey guys I'm back... this took a long time to write, but I think I'm satisfied with it? well watever... my vacation was fun except for the scab on my back... yea never be a passenger on a new wave runner with your brother as the driver..NEVER!! haha well here it is!!

THANK YOU REVIEWERS..YOU KEEP THIS STORY ALIVE!!:

crazy fan 35

BlackButterfly-RedRose-haha its ok :))

itachiizmyn13-soon my friend soon

Death at Dawn-omg that brings a tear to my eye... I... I... love you haha seriously you are to kind

CeCeUchiha-close but no cigar hehe

Nicktrugs-that will be answered NOW!!

Cster-haha Idk either

burningdarkness-YOU GAVE CRITICISM YAY!! (I really mean that too...) your the first one and I need help I'm a beginner, but that I cant answer beacause it will be explained in later chapters I think haha... well thanks for the heads up, and I hope you continue to do it becasue it really opened my eyes to that problem, and I tried to fit it in better with my plot.. its all good. :)) -that may sound sacastic I think? but seriously it really helps me A LOT!!

Escaping Dawn

Chapter 6:

She gasped, backing up against the window while grabbing at its splintered edges with her hands, trying to pull herself as close to it as possible. For there mere feet away from her stood the man she chose over her freedom…Itachi Uchiha. His eyes smoldered in the shadows of the room, looking like a true demon.

He was sitting in his chair earlier, but as soon as she saw him, he appeared instantly before her, taking her breath away.

But now a new feeling washed over her, this was something different than the other one she had felt… the dark one. She felt like she experienced it before but not as strong as this. It made her feel light and determined to see the man she thought he truly was… she knew he truly was. The man she saw surface for a few moments while she was kept here. Her grip loosened as she looked up at him no longer afraid of his eyes.

His expression didn't change at this; he just continued to stare at her for hours it seemed. Then he finally spoke, his mouth lost in the shadows that hid all except his eyes. They were lit from the sliver of moonlight that seeped in through the window.

"Why didn't you escape?" he asked her in a hardened tone, eyes looking down on her, burrowing in.

She looked downward, able to break his entrancing gaze with her new found confidence that came with her new sense of purpose. This must have triggered something because he moved slightly in her peripheral vision, but she hardly noticed as she was asking herself that same question over and over in her head.

She let go of the window frame, leaning against it to fold her hands in front of her. She stared at them, entangled in her lap, while she thought up an answer. The real reason wouldn't do good here she thought.

"You were awake…" she said rather calmly, "...You would've have known. It would've be of no use."

Silence.

She kept watching her hands, as she moved her thumbs over one another, effectively distracting her from his looming presence.

"You didn't know." He caught her lie. He knew she didn't know he was awake at that time, he knew... then again, he knew everything it seemed.

She dropped her hands and thoughtlessly threw her head up to meet his line of sight, desperate to get the attention off of herself, narrowing her eyes she asked him hastily, "Why did you save me!?"

He stared down at her, his features lifeless.

Her eyes gradually lost the hardened look they had acquired during her outburst of sorts as time wore on between the two. She looked down to the side unable to hold her defense anymore.

'He's not going to…'

Her thought was caught off mid sentence as he walked to the other side of the room near the door effectively pulling her attention to him. He turned half way and looked her in the eye.

"Did you want to die?" he asked in a softer manner than before, though she realized that he already knew the answer from the tone he delivered it in.

She looked down at her feet honestly confused, and a bit frightened by his question, but mostly because she didn't really know the answer herself.

'Don't look at your feet… you're acting like a shy, little girl!! You're a ninja for gosh darn sake!!' her inner yelled at her.

She exhaled in agreement and lifted her chin to meet his unwavering eyes.

"No." she replied strongly with a bold face in place.

His eyes told her what she already knew… 'I know'.

"Then…" he began while walking slowly back to his chair he had been occupying earlier. He sat down gracefully, in no way at all creating a sound. "…what may be the answer to my previous question?"

She was on a high from her daring attitude, as she continued to audaciously stare straight into his eyes.

"Truthfully, I don't know. I stayed here on a whim." She began strongly, but then she turned her line of sight to the side in thought as she took hold of the windowsill again. "But how could I just leave…? You saved me… you saved my life… I can't just… leave after that…" She mused quietly, slightly shaking her head.

Her eyes flashed up to his. "…Not without anything given in return… I'm in debt to you.

"Aren't we all in debt?" he whispered to himself looking down.

He stood up from the chair and walked to the door leading to the other room. Still facing that direction he spoke, "You don't owe me anything, no one ever did… you may stay if you like, but you are not bound here."

With that he left the room, leaving the door open in an obvious gesture to say that she is able to leave at any time she wanted.

She thought about it, but she stayed. She didn't venture around, suddenly attached to the room she was in and familiar with. She also stayed there because she wanted to rest and regain some of her lost energy.

She slept most of the time.

He didn't come back into her room until later that night. He looked at her before taking a seat in the same chair he had brought in earlier.

She sat up looking over at him from the bed, feeling uncomfortable lying down infront of him.

"I'm leaving tomorrow morning… before daybreak…" he told her, without looking at her.

He sat there for a few minutes more watching her think it over. He was about to get up to leave when she spoke.

"And I will follow you, I'm still in debt. I have done nothing to relieve me of it yet." She informed him while looking out the window. She didn't voice it but there was another reason, and he could tell there was too.

"Why do you dare to put your trust in me… a murderer?" he asked her.

She looked up at him with surprise, but retired it after she realized what he meant.

"You may be a murderer, but…" she noticed something flash across his eyes, only visible for a moment, and gone the next, her eyebrows furrowed as she continued, "…but I can see… through the cracks in your wall that you have built around youself, the man I can dare to put my trust in."

He sat there silent. She thought he must have been in deep thought for he never blinked and never moved and inch. He just sat, staring at her with hollow eyes.

She looked away unable to look into them, they reminded her of someone, but she didn't know who… or was it that she didn't want to know who?

Her attention was drawn back to him as he began speaking again. He had his eyes closed, which was a relief to her.

"Do whatever pleases you… as I said before you are not bound here, therefore you owe me nothing." He said in his usual deep voice.

"I owe you everything." She told him defiantly.

"Hn."

He stood up, walked to the doorway, and left, leaving her alone in her room to think.

'Why am I staying? Sure he saved my life, but I wouldn't have ever been in that situation if he never kidnapped me.' Sakura thought.

'No... You owe him everything.' Her inner told her.

'Why!?' Sakura thought skeptically.

'Because you were an idiot who refused the food he gave you that was NON-POISONOUS!'

'oooooh… right… totally forgot about that… hehe' Sakura thought sheepishly. 'Wait how do you know it was non-poisonous?' she asked her inner in attempt to call her out.

'Oh COME ON… you knew it too, you just wanted to be defiant like you always are.'

'Whatever… He still kidnapped me, that over rules everything.' Sakura thought.

'Then why are you still here?' Her inner questioned her.

'I don't know…' She thought seriously, losing her attitude she had moment before.

'No… you do know. You know exactly why you stayed.'

'Tell me.' Sakura plead.

'You already know'

'but…'

The door swung open as Itachi appeared at the door to her room cutting of her thought mid-sentence. He threw her a black bundle.

She caught it before it hit her face. Unfolding its velvety layers, she found it to be a cloak with a hood. She looked up at him expecting an explanation for the rash behavior.

"We have to go…now." He said, slightly faster than his regular tempo as he stood in the doorway waiting for her.

She got the message as she saw his sharingan begin to spin and threw the cloak onto her shoulders, placing the hood over her head making sure to conceal her bright, pink tresses.

She looked to the door, but found it empty of his presence.

'Did he already leave!?' she thought frantically.

She rushed into the other room and out the door into a long hallway.

She threw her head both directions, looking desperately for the exit.

It was dark with the power off. The only light given was from windows on either end of the hall, with moonlight shining in.

'There to the left!' her inner pointed out.

Sakura whipped her head in that direction and saw a door slightly swinging back on forth on its hinges.

She ran towards it and threw the door open, nearly ripping it off its hinges.

She stared down at the staircase behind the door, feeling exhausted before she even began to decline it. Level 13 was painted on the wall. The staircase was even darker than the hallway, but the thin window above each number on every floor was enough light to show her where she was going.

She began flying down the stairs, nearly jumping full ones down, but then she stopped on level 4… nearly there. Her breathing increased as she felt a presence, but it didn't belong to him…

She quickly concealed her chakra perfectly and started to move at a slower rate… two steps at a time.

As she got closer she slowed to a sneak. She crept on down the stairs in the shadows, keeping away from the moonlight that filtered in from the narrow window.

Her breathing quickened as she crept closer and closer to the presence. She could now tell that there were multiple people as it split into different ones.

She saw the number two painted across the cement wall, meaning only one more stair case to go down. She came to the turn, placing her back against the concrete railing in a crouched position she peeked her head out to see what they were doing, and who they were.

There down below her she saw three anbu, she didn't recognize any of them from their masks but they were from Konoha from their tattoos on their shoulders. They had to be concealing their chakra too, otherwise she would have felt them much, much earlier.

There was no way around them… the walls were narrow and the doors to exit the building were behind them held open to the night.

She withdrew her head while silently breathing in, she could smell the fresh air blow around her; she was that close to freedom. She wanted so desperatley to be free again...

She stuck he face around the bend once again, just enough to see what they were going to do.The trios were staring downward towards the door, just what exactly were they looking at?

She had to decide now when they didn't notice her to both leave and find another exit or to incapacitate them to the point where they weren't able to follow.

The fact that she wasn't able to recognize any of them, even from their exposed hair and skin, that meant that they weren't the strongest team Konoha had… she knew who they were… she used to belong to that team. She could defeat these anbu.

A figure abruptly stood up followed by another in front of the other ninjas.

Sakura recoiled, her breath caught in her throat and her emerald eyes widened in shock.

"Sakura!?" an all too familiar voice called out to her.

"Wha… you saw Sakura-chan!?" asked another voice, again all too familiar.

She swallowed closing her eyes. This is it, they saw her, now she had to play her part. She slowly stood from her position and turned around facing the nins below her.

Flashes of her nightmare appeared before her eyes as she looked into the eyes of Kakashi and Naruto, ignoring the other three.

She wiped all emotion from her face and looked upon them with a cold demeanor.

"Get out of my way…" she said icily, but smooth and low.

Naruto removed his mask and looked her in the eye. His face was incredibly serious, leaving no room for his joking manner. He seemed to do this to show her who she was talking to, and that this was a weighty situation.

She returned the action by taking her hood off her head, and revealing her pink hair for all to see.

"Sakura…" he paused looking over at Kakashi, she assumed from the silver spikes sticking out from behind his anbu mask.

She noticed the immediate removal of her title. Even old habit didn't get the best of him here.

Kakashi nodded his head at him and looked down closing his eyes.

Naruto tentatively turned back towards her. His eyes shone with remorse for his… once-friend she thought.

"…you are to be arrested by Konoha…" he grit his teeth together, trying to be tough in this condition, but the act was fooling nobody as his breaths began to waver. He looked down, as Kakashi put an encouraging hand on his shoulder. Moments later his head snapped back up to meet hers with renewed strength. His eyes were darker as they met her icy ones. His words were smooth... stones... they were sure to haunt her forever…

"…for murder."

* * *

OH SNAP!! 0.0

haha well what ya think

I NEED HELP (no not mental help... I have that already -pulls a psychiatrist into view and then shoves them out smiling-) I NEED HELP ON THIS STORY I MEAN :))

R&R OR I'LL MAKE ITACHI DIE AGAIN!!

-no that would be too hurtful tear- please review anyway... because I'm sad now :((


	7. Chapter 7

Hey there!! SUMMER IT HERE YAY!! yea unfortunatley for me that means more v-ball practices with my team haha that sucks as... well here's the next chapter without further ado../

THANK YOU REVIEWERS I LOVE YOU ALL WITH ALL OF MY HEART!!:

BlackButterfly-RedRose-- ooo ho ho maybe she did maybe she didnt? and oh by the way ILU

crazy fan 35--well here's more muahahah--ILU TOO

TeenageCrisis--I tried to join but im stupid and I dunno how (how pitiful)

Death at Dawn-this chapter might make him seem soft so watch out, but thanks for earlier WEEE!!

and...

burningdarkness--LONG IS GOOD hahaha--yea I am trying my best too weave in all the new mangas into my storyline, in fact thats why it kinda took this long to write a new chapter because I was trying to find a way to get it into my overall story hehe...but thanks for pointing that out...umm..yea ITACHI TO THE RESCUE!!

Escaping Dawn

(if there is a random line in here ignore it please, I think I pressed the line button and I donno if it went somewhere hehe oops!!) enjoy:

Chapter 7:

Naruto stared up at her with a piercing gaze. His face looked so cold that it sent chills up her spine, but his eyes betrayed his face as there was sadness found in them.

She stared down at the anbu with an air of indifference, though the word 'murder' ate away at her from inside.

'I have to leave… now, before I'm caught.' she thought while looking out the doors leading into the night.

She couldn't sense Itachi at all, but she had this feeling…

Shifting her gaze she looked back into the unwavering eyes of Naruto.

'He has gotten so much stronger hasn't he…? Good, he'll make a suitable Hokage.'

A smirk pulled at her lips as all three anbu before them fell to the ground, senbon sticking out of the back of their necks affectively hitting a pressure point that knocked them out without doing damage.

Naruto looked down at them horrified. His head snapped back up to her with an angry expression highlighted with disappointment in his eyes.

"Damn it Sakura!!" he yelled getting into a defensive pose, but it was too late as she appeared above them heading towards the door at a fast pace.

Kakashi held his mask to the side allowing his sharingan to fully show and watch her, as she flew by him. It felt like slow motion to them as she looked over at him with a cold smirk in place, looking straight into his sharingan eye. They were literally face to face while she was in the air and he was standing there below, but soon the speed of the moment returned and she was out the door running to the forest.

Naruto and Kakashi followed outside after her, trailing her to the forest's edge.

Before they could ever sense it they were struck down with more senbon, hitting them in the knees. They were unable to move as they collapsed to the ground with grunts of pain.

Sakura turned around in horror, when she heard them fall. Her eyes widened in shock seeing the senbon sticking out of their joints, glinting in the moonlight.

'I didn't…'

Her thought was cut off as she was pulled roughly behind a tree. She gasped in surprise as she was held with her back against someone's chest and their hand across her mouth to prevent her from gaining another's attention.

Her eyes were widened in horror as she stared out ahead of her at nothing in particular. Sakura's heartbeat was leaping out of her chest and her breath escaped her. A thin layer of sweat formed over her skin, shining in the moonlight wherever it was exposed.

She felt the person behind her bend forward after moments of silence. Their breath fanned across her exposed skin, feeling like it was burning wherever it touched her.

She was shaking now, unable to control her cool facade.

"If you're not going to keep up... then don't bother." A low, smooth voice whispered in her ear, as he removed his hand from her mouth.

The voice sent chills up her spine, but she wasn't scared this time… no… it was something different… related to that other feeling she felt before that wasn't dark, but light. She exhaled in relief to hear his voice, but why should she feel relieved and safe around him?

Heat found its way to her face as she realized how close they were still, as his breaths continued to caress her skin. She slowly felt him move back away from her. His breaths left her, as he removed his grip from around her waist.

As soon as she was free she stepped forward, away from him, still looking forward to avoid his look and the others behind them. She was so eager to move away because she frightened… no… not by him… this time, by herself. She held her arms as she thought about what just happened, looking down at the ground.

'Why did I want to stay in his arms… a murderer's arms?'

She looked up at the sky searching for a moment of release but, all she did was meet her eyes with his, glowing in the dark… Itachi, who stood above her now on a tree limb, obviously waiting.

She jumped up next to him. As she did, he looked directly in her face, and it was now that she was glad it was dark out, so he couldn't see the color of her cheeks.

"Keep moving" escaped his lips as he looked back forward and began to jump from tree branch to tree branch.

Sakura leapt after him, but as she did, she looked behind her one last time as a "good-bye" to her fallen… enemies. Turning her head back while she kept moving, her eyes landed upon Kakashi leaning against a tree for support. He looked up and stared straight at her.

His mask was completely torn from his face from the fall. The moonlight hit him through the trees and she could see that his eyes were widened in shock as he looked ahead of her.

She was far away now but she could still read his lips… 'Itachi Uchiha…' he mouthed.

Her eyebrows furrowed together in concern… 'He knows… He'll tell people Itachi is still alive… now there will be no thorough rest… for they will never sleep either until we are killed.'

She kept looking at him as she pulled the black hood over her head concealing her bright hair. His gaze shifted back to her most likely at the sight of movement. His eyes relaxed back to normal size, but even though she was getting further and further away, she was able to see the expression upon his face with her sharp eyes.

He clearly thought of her as an enemy now, as there was hatred etched upon his face. But once again, she couldn't blame him… she couldn't blame anyone…

She looked back at him with sadness in her eyes, but quickly her face became cold once more as she gave him one last look that told him 'you're my enemy as well' and then she looked away from him… away from her past, and back to Itachi… her future.

She sped forward to catch up with Itachi who hadn't slowed at all for her encounter.

Soon she was behind him, speeding into the forests depths at high speeds, leaving her past behind.

They had been traveling for hours now at the same speed it began to become tiring though she kept moving on auto-pilot it seemed.

Sakura had been in a daze the entire time. Her mind ran from topic to topic covering why she felt that way when Itachi had merely touched her, to her encounter with Naruto and Kakashi, and to what will happen when everyone finds out Itachi is alive.

'What will Sasuke do when he finds out?' she thought.

'He'll probably try to kill him again. I mean come on… HELLO that's all that he lives for practically.' Inner Sakura remarked.

'Yea… I guess your right.' She thought sadly.

Her eyes were downcast as her mind wandered over to her memory about Naruto's face when he told her the charge of her arrest.

She would never be able to get that out of her head now… it was imprinted into her memories; it seemed every time she closed her eyes the scene would play in her mind, just like her first encounter with Itachi, but this seemed so much worse.

She sighed and looked up trying to get herself out of this bad mood that possessed her.

Her eyes widened in shock as she looked up… Itachi was gone. He wasn't ahead of her anymore.

She quickly halted on a branch and reached out her senses.

Nothing.

She looked around herself frantically, ignoring her pants of exhaustion, looking for any sign of where he might have gone.

She couldn't yell out, not when there could be enemies in the area that are hidden.

'Where IS he!?' she thought anxiously. 'There!'

She heard something. It was faint, as if it were muffled, but it was a sound. Her eyes narrowed as she heard it again slightly louder. It came from her left. She turned and headed towards it.

She stopped again, not able to know if she went to far or not far enough. Again, the sound found its way to her louder this time, and she was able to pinpoint it exactly.

It was coming from above her and slightly ahead. She climbed the branches, careful of her step, for one slip and she would die from the impact of being this high up and one noise could mean her death from being caught by a hidden enemy.

She finally came to the source. She silently pulled aside the leaves that stood in front of her, and she poked her head out of the top of the tree. She gasped as the sight was simply breathtaking.

There below were plains of grasses and a river adorned its center, cutting through only to leave in a waterfall. There were plateaus behind the paradise, and as the sun poured its light from behind them, these glorious hues of red, orange, and yellow filled the sky, making the rest of the world look dull in comparison.

She suddenly felt pitied for anyone not able to witness such a scene. A tear found its way to the corner of her eye as she thought about one person, not able to witness things like this or anything ever again.

She looked to the side; she couldn't look… she felt like she shouldn't be able to see such things, when that person can't.

"That will only make it worse." A voice spoke from her side.

She shifted her gaze to see Itachi sitting upon the tops of branches looking out at the sunrise.

She didn't know what he meant, but she quickly discarded it as she suddenly had a question of her own.

"Why do you keep giving me chances to escape?" she blurted out to him, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

He stayed silent as he continued to watch the sun rise.

She grew impatient as she climbed out onto the tops of the branches as well and took a seat beside him.

Raising her voice she pushed him further for an answer, "You would have let me escape back at the hotel when you were faking to sleep and you gave me the chance now when you left me behind, now tell me why!?"

Silence.

"Why do you not take advantage of such a sight with your eyes?" he asked her after some time, never looking away from the scene before him.

She was fuming with impatience, but this question calmed her for some reason unknown to her. She looked back out to the sunrise with a new outlook on it.

It seemed even more beautiful now than before, even though the colors were faded and the sun was nearly in full view…

"How could it be so much more beautiful than before?" she asked herself in a whisper.

"Because you can see it with no detriment." he replied.

A feeling bloomed within her, a type of recognition. She was able to take the scene in for its full value, without feeling ashamed. She was finally able to see clearly… even more so than before when she left the village…

They stayed like that until the sun broke away from the earth and rose higher and higher into the sky.

"Hn…Your question." he reminded her.

She snapped out of her tranquil state and looked over at him, surprised to some extent that he broke the silence first.

"Oh! Um… I was asking… why you gave me so many opportunities to leave." She confirmed in a softer voice than before.

He looked over to her, locking eyes, "Why did you not take those opportunities to leave?" he asked smoothly.

She stayed silent as she looked down at the leaves around her. Hey rustled in the wind so carefree… why couldn't she be like that…? Why couldn't the world be like that?

"You have another reason." He said, clearly telling her to tell him the truth.

She was stuck now, if she told a lie, she knew he would not accept it if he was prying her this much to tell him what he probably already knew.

Her eyes stayed on the leaves below her as she began, "How much… did you hear back there… at the hotel?"

She could feel his resolute gaze upon her, as he stayed silent.

She swallowed as she realized that he probably did hear everything, "So… you heard then, didn't you?"

He didn't answer her, but she took that as a yes.

She closed her eyes as she began to tell him the truth, "I have no where to go… anywhere I'd travel to... they would hate me… despise me… I would be alone" Her eyes snapped up to him, "…when I met you… I had found somewhere where I could belong."

"You do not belong here." He told her, his voice and face clear of emotion.

She was close to tears, now but she refused to let them fall as she continued to looke up at him.

"You heard what they said; I am a murderer just like you!! Tell me, how I not belong here!?" she yelled. Her breaths were uneven now as she waited for his answer.

He continued to watch her until her breaths returned to normal, but her eyes stayed the same… unsure and prodding.

"You are innocent… I am not." He said smoothly.

Her shining eyes widened in disbelief as her breath left her throat.

She continued to stare at where he sat even after he stood and walked past her.

"How…?" she breathed.

But it was ignored as Itachi slipped through the branches and left her in her state alone.

She felt him reveal his chakra signature, most likely to show her where to go when she was ready to come down.

She stayed up there until the sun was high in the sky, signaling noon. Most of the time she spent was just staring at nothing in particular with her mind vacant of thoughts; she couldn't really form any from her stricken state. She still felt his chakra signature below, so she knew he was waiting… which was different.

'Maybe that man's barrier has broken a little bit more?' she mused before she headed down to where the source was.

She jumped from branch to branch until she was just above the ground.

She spotted Itachi sitting on a branch across the clearing from her. In his hand was book of some kind. He was writing in it.

She jumped down and approached him from ground level, so as not to look like she was trying to pry into what he was doing if she had come from above.

He looked down at her briefly and then closed the book, binding it with a leather strap and placing the pen within it.

He jumped down and gracefully landed a few feet in front of her.

She looked straight at him with a slight smile on her face.

"You have a diary?" she asked slightly teasing and thankful for the distraction from what happened previous.

"A journal." He told her seriously.

She was suddenly aware of his intentions from his answer. If this would have been "regular Itachi", he would have just ignored her completely; however he played along to her joke. He was trying to cheer her up by providing a decoy.

"Thank you." She whispered, but just enough for him to hear.

He continued to look down at her, and then walked away to the other end of the clearing where she had just come from as he placed his journal in his cloak.

She sighed and spun around to face him; she had to get answers from him… now. How did he know so much?

Her eyes widened in horror. He was doubled over. His hand was to his mouth as he coughed into it. Blood seeped out from behind it, dotting the ground below him as it fell.

She ran up to him automatically in medic mode, placing a hand on his neck for his pulse and another to his chest to check his symptoms with her chakra.

Her face was serious and like a stone as she searched through his body.

Her eyes widened as she located the source of the blood. A disease…

He looked up at her, blood dripping from the corners of his mouth. Being so close she was drawn into his eyes as she looked into hers.

She was out of breath as she stared into them at such a distance. They were so much more alive than she had thought, being so close she could see the tiny traces of life, but they seemed to slowly continue to fade as she stared into them longer and longer.

She finally snapped back to the situation at hand. She looked down in disbelief and exhaled.

As she looked back up into his eyes, she knew he already had known what was going on, but she told him anyway, in a way to almost tell herself really…

"You're dying…" she breathed.

* * *

YES So more answeres will be reveiled in the next chapter along with some fluffiness maybe?? muahahah

did anyone see the new manga yet? (spoiler next) it was crazy Itachi knew that Sasuke would probaly attack konoha and gave Naruto some ofhisownpower ITS CRAZYYYY!!I cant wait until the next one..

(spoiler ended)

well... I'm sure most of you can figure out what sakura did now!!

oh and remember... Sakura doesnt know that Itachi is innocent only Madara and Sasuke really know that... I guess team eagle knows it too... hmm?? well hope you enjoy..ed.

JA NE

R&R PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEE!! LOVE YA!


	8. Chapter 8

Hello everybody... ok before you start killing me just hear me out... I was super busy with v-ball I had like nationals and a JVDA tourney and crap and now I have summer v-ball camp for school everyday and i just got back from vacation.. Plus this chapter was super hard to write because I didn't know what I was going to put in it until I did grrr.. but its kinda crappy and extra long... so just tell me what I need to fix because I think some of them came out of character a little DARN IT!! SORRRYYYYY

My extroadinary reviewers!! that stuck with me after this:

Yami416-Omg thank you you are so nice and Ilu, but sorry ahead of time if this chapter sux... seriously!!

Amarantesama- Love you girl... Oh and sorry if I hadnt been getting back to you, my aol email is like f up and itsux well HELLO!! and Ilu

burningdarkness-HAha thank you again!

Death at Dawn- OMG I know right!! well to found out read on... muahahahah

Cster- yea at first I was going to follow the manga like super close and then i was all ... NAH! haha THANK YAS

ch1b1 -ch4n-- awe thanks!! well here ya go...

wolf-- ok first of all I love wolves too haha... oh and thanks so much here ya go...

SakuraandIzuna- sorry for the wait haha HERE YOU GO!

ennnnjoy...

Escaping Dawn

Chapter 8:

"You're dying…" she breathed in total shock.

He closed his eyes slowly, letting his head hang slightly downward as he let out a long, raspy breath of air.

She looked over his features in panic; he looked as if he was not going to fight this at all.

"Lay down, I have to heal you!" she told him hurriedly. She wasn't in medic mode at all. Fear flooded her senses disabling her skills. Still, she repeatedly tried to persuade him and herself at the same time that she was perfectly under control. Neither bought it.

He continued to stand before her, still closed behind his eyes. Waiting.

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Did you not just hear me? You're dying! So lie down and let me treat you!" she yelled.

Nothing. Silence took them. Dead silence.

Frustrated she grabbed his arm and began to pull him downward but he still stood defiantly never weakening his stance. Tears started to gather at the corner of her eyes as she held them tightly shut in her desperate attempts to hold herself together.

'How could he be this strong!? In this level of the disease he should be terribly weak!' she thought after becoming exhausted from trying over and over again to pull him down. She wasn't exhausted from that alone though, the mental strain also weakened her tremendously.

"Come on!!" she plead between heavy breaths, holding her knees.. She stood up in a feeble stance, opening her eyes, no longer caring about the tears that stained her cheeks. "What are you waiting for?"

His eyes snapped open and looked directly into hers. There was a hidden pain in them… but not physical… no it was deeper than that, but it probably hurt so much more…

"The end… release." He told her in a rather smooth voice for his situation.

She was at a loss of words…. All she could do was look up into his eyes in confusion, but odd understanding.

Her head started to shake from side to side at a slow rate and then faster and faster.

"No… I can't let that happen. It's not your time!" she yelled at him steadily regaining loss strength, both mental and physical.

She gasped as she could almost see a dim light fading even more so from behind his crimson eyes. He began to close them, signaling his final defeat, his last battle lost… the ending to his story… his life.

"NO!!" she screamed.

Without thinking she gathered chakra into her arms and pulled him down to the ground. There she pinned him with her weight by sitting on his torso.

He wasn't moving at all. She looked over his features and realized that he had passed out from the pain he was enduring.

She looked over his form beneath her anxiously. She began to panic, until her inner brought her to her senses.

'HEY!! You. Are. A. MEDIC!! Put two and two together. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!'

Sakura nodded and then closed her eyes tightly shut in concentration as her breathing became controlled once more. She went into medic mode. There in the dark abyss behind her eyelids she created a picture of the procedure in her mind.

She pressed her healing chakra into him and began to heal him from the inside out. She began with his lungs as they were infected with cancer, the source of his coughing and the blood.

She had to heal every cell and restore it to normal, it would take hours and hours to do, but she wouldn't give up on him.

Sweat dripped from her chin as she worked herself to her limits. It had been two hours now that she had been healing and she was only halfway done.

She decided she needed a break to regain some of her chakra. It would help in the long run.

She opened her eyes and found it to be near noon. The sun was high in the sky and beat down on her.

She climbed off of his body and sat down next to him. There she threw her head up into the air and let it hang behind her as she leaned backward on her hands. She sat there only focusing on her audible breaths and nothing else. She opened her eyes and looked to the sky. There was no breeze, only heat surrounded her in the clearing they were in. Not even shade found its way over them.

It seemed that the world wanted her to fail.

She grew angry and yelled up to the sky, "You think this will make me stop? He's not the man you think he is!!" She died down at the end, not fully sure how much her words weighed true.

She looked back down to him and couldn't help thinking, 'I know that he wasn't the man I thought he was, but he may even not be the man I think he is now… I'm saving Itachi Uchiha, mass murderer and the master of Illusions… I could do the world a favor and just kill him now… but what would the world give back to me?'

'nothing… absolutely nothing.' Her inner answered.

'Exactly.'

She kneeled back over him and began to work again, this time on his eyes where the disease hypema took over them in their weakened state from the mangekyou. That was the source of his bloody tears and some of his fatigue.

With a smile on her drenched face she told herself, "He will live… and I won't be alone."

She worked all through the night. She was nearly at the end of her chakra reserves when she finally finished the healing. He was going to live. She collapsed onto him, rapidly falling into unconsciousness, though before she fully fell into the darkness she felt a slight breeze brush her cheek and then she succumbed with a small smile on her face.

…

…

…

…

…

…

She awoke to the feeling of a gentle breeze caressing her face. She slowly opened her eyes and found that she couldn't move her limbs from fatigue.

The smell of musk filled her nose and clogged her senses. But it was a slight relief to her as it cured her of her disoriented feeling.

She just wanted to lie there and rest on whatever soft thing she was lying on but, she reasoned that she should wake up and eat something to recover faster.

She opened her eyes, but quickly shut them from the blinding light of the sun.

Keeping her eyes shut tight and she pulled herself up to a stance on all fours. Though her head throbbed from the sudden movement and the light, she opened her eyes, to get used to it now in a non-direct way, but what she saw made her blush.

Her pillow had been Itachi's…. cloak (A/N: haha had ya there for a second huh? hahaha)

'Awe… he totally digs you girl! He left it for you to use as a pillow. How SWEEET!' her inner yelled

Sakura briefly laughed at her inner and then decided that her eyes had adjusted enough and stood up.

She still had to squint to see anything, but soon she spotted a familiar figure, dressed in black not too far away, sitting on a boulder over by the riverbed.

She walked slowly over to him, not really sure how he would react to being saved when he really didn't want to be.

She stopped when she was small distance away from him and waited until he noticed her.

Minutes went by and still nothing was spoken. She decided that if anyone was going to break the silence it definitely was not going to be Itachi Uchiha, the one time he had broken the silence was a one time deal.

"Umm… Itachi you should really lie down and res…" she began in a small voice, but was cut off by him.

"You are no longer bound here."

Her face became shocked and confused. "…What!?"

He sighed. He then stood up and faced her, looming above her on the boulder.

She was shocked as she saw that his eyes were not crimson but ebony. He seemed so much more alive, so much more… human with those eyes. He didn't look like a demon at all… only a man.

He turned his sharingan back on after he saw her staring at his eyes no doubt.

She blinked her eyes and became focused again on the subject at hand. She couldn't help but feel small next to his intimidating position, but she wasn't going to be timid in this situation anymore, he is her companion now and she was going to speak to him like it. But she couldn't shake the constant feeling of doom, and that she was digging her own grave.

"What do you mean I am no longer bound here?" she asked narrowing her eyes.

"You are no longer in debt… you can leave." he responded.

Her heart stopped in her chest, she thought that he was finally going to accept her as company, as a partner after she saved his life, and after finding the cloak he left for her as a pillow which signals an indirect care for her

Mistaken she was. But she somehow expected that, but still it felt so much worse than she anticipated.

She looked to the ground in total shock, but most of all she felt hurt. She nodded her head at a slow pace. "I can leave. I can leave?" She began to grow angry at him as she snapped her head up and looked him straight in the face. "That's the thanks I get after saving your life!?"

He stood there, staring down at her and then instantly reappeared in front of her only a few feet away. His sudden appearance brought a whirlwind of air rushing in her direction seconds after he already appeared.

Her breath caught in her throat as she was suddenly reminded of how powerful he was even if he was just dying the other day.

"When you are angry… you are blind. Calm yourself."

She looked down unable to look him in the eye in her state. She was ashamed of her behavior, but she got a hold of herself after a minute or so and then slowly, unsurely looked back up to him. "Wha… What if I don't want to leave? What if I don't want to be alone?" she asked quietly, hurt evident in her voice and features.

She continued to stare at him expecting an answer, but he turned and started to walk away from her along the riverside.

"Then why did you even take me!? What's the point if you didn't even want to be with me?"

He kept walking.

"Answer me!" she yelled after him.

He stopped in his tracks, but did not turn around. He was waiting for her to follow.

She walked up to his side with her arms holding herself together, she kept mentally telling herself not to cry.

"Where are you going to take me?" she asked in a low, quiet voice.

He didn't look at her and started walking forward again.

"I'm not going anywhere until you answer me!" she yelled after him, but he kept walking.

That sense of doom she had been feeling had exponentially increased in the last few moments. He wouldn't answer her at all. He was a murderer after all; he could just kill her even after all she had done for him. Her grip on her own arms began to dig into her skin more and more so with every step she took. She wasn't sure what he was going to do with her, but he clearly didn't want her company. She thought she had seen a hidden man in him, she thought she saw his true being, but evidently it had all been an act… an illusion.

They walked in silence for quite a bit following the river's curves. She trailed behind him deciding whether to keep following him or to run. But she had no where to run to.

He stopped when he reached the edge of a clearing. She hesitantly took steps forward until she was at his side. She looked out into the clearing, trying to see if anything was hidden here, all the while making sure to keep him in her peripheral sight.

"What do you see?" he asked quietly, but smooth.

Her breathing quickened, was this a trick? A test? She couldn't figure it out, so she settled uneasily with just telling him what she saw bluntly.

"I see… a clearing… a small lake with a tiny island in the middle of it. I also see… the other side of the woods I guess…." She answered unsurely. "What is this supposed to do?" she asked looking towards him, fear in her eyes.

He continued to look out at the clearing before him and spoke, "Sometimes you have to be alone, to realize you never were."

She looked away from him and back out at the clearing. Sakura breathed out a broken breath as she began to walk forward towards a stump she saw. She awkwardly hoisted herself up onto it and sat directly upon it with crossed legs. She observed her surroundings from that point.

She found herself totally alone. Her fear increased. 'What if he's just going to leave me, what if somebody else comes? What if…'

'Will you shut up scardy-pants… He's not going to leave you, this is some sort of exercise he's doing with you it seems and if somebody else comes you can fight them… you are a ninja after all. NO MORE WHAT IF'S!' her inner yelled. 'Geese what's with all the mood swings lately, is your cycle coming up?'

'NO! But you are right about the mood swings… I don't know. One minute I'm happy the next I'm angry and yelling, and then the next I'm totally emotionless…. I don't know what's happening to me. But now that you mention that this might be an exercise, I suspect that maybe this will help somehow… but I have to trust him if this is going to work.'

She closed her eyes and reached out her senses, there was no one there. She was by herself in the clearing, but she already knew that, but she continued searching anyway trying to figure out what he had meant by, _"Sometimes you have to be alone to realize you never were."_

She sat there for an hour or so with no apparent change. In that time she began to lose track of her concentration and her mind began to wander.

She was abruptly snapped back to the present when a falcon landed a few feet in front of her on the ground.

She gasped at its sudden appearance, but saw that it was hunting and had caught a mouse. Holding the prey tightly in its talons it flew up to an old pine. There the falcon gave the mouse to the baby birds in their nest of sticks. She couldn't help but think that was almost how Konoha worked. The falcon kills and brings it back to their home all the while protecting them from threats. The chicks there profit from the kill, but that only leaves them with wanting more and more. So the falcon goes out and kills more and more, and when those chicks grow old enough to leave the nest they will forget about the falcon that did so much for them and become only competition for the old falcon.

She looked away from them. 'I guess that's how it is everywhere… even in nature'

'You are one depressed teen… HEY! Look over there!' her inner said while pointing.

She looked to the right and saw a family of deer drinking at the lakes edge. She smiled at such peacefulness. She wanted to see more of it.

To the left was a rabbit munching on wild flowers and a muskrat poking out of its hole searching for food. Her smile widened.

She looked up to the sky and saw birds flying through the skies filling the air with music.

She closed her eyes and felt the warmth of the sun and the wind everywhere, wrapping around her like an embrace from the heavens. When it blew through the trees, she could almost hear voices.

The forest was alive, even the stump she sat on had chipmunks running in and out of it storing nuts.

"I was never alone" she whispered.

She followed the voices blown to her by the wind with a smile on her face. She jumped from rock to rock and breathed deeply to inhale all that she could of the fragrance that surrounded her produced from nature itself.

The voices seemed to be getting louder. She was getting closer and closer to where the wind wanted her to be. She began to run, anxious to find where it was taking her, she had long lost her shoes back in the clearing wanting to feel the life in the ground under her feet and wanting to feel as natural as she could.

The wind blew faster now, pulling at her tresses. She loved the feeling, she loved the feel of the power it had. It made her feel like it had given some of its power to her as her legs quickened, she jumped into the air landing on a branch and then another and another.

The wind died down and she landed on a branch in a crouch. She looked around herself. She was on the edge of another clearing. She looked down below. There was Itachi. She jumped down and landed a few feet in front of him.

He showed no surprise in his eyes… in fact they seemed blanker than ever before.

"What do you see?"

She looked down, and then all around her. The breeze tugged at her tresses and she closed her eyes enjoying the Goosebumps it gave her.

She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him straight. "I see… life… I feel the winds embrace, the sun's soft kiss, the river's sensational mist…. But most of all... I see you… standing here with me." She told him in a bold manner searching his eyes for reaction.

She felt confident and resolute, and she knew he could see it too, for it was so obvious from her voice. Though she was still cautious to a point.

She continued, "You may think that you were born to be alone or meant to die long ago, but how could think that when you stand before me very much alive?

"I may be alive… but I've died long ago, back when I should have…. Back when I planned my own defeat."

She went silent.

'Even after all that time Sasuke trained, he still didn't beat Itachi, for Itachi planned his defeat… but he's still here. How could that be?'

"You… you planned your defeat?" she asked bewildered.

He didn't answer as he continued to look at her. She took the look in his eyes as a sign that he did not want to continue that subject, so she dropped it and went back to the main one.

"You say… you planned your death, but still you're here. You nearly died of a disease… You would have died if I wasn't there. Think of all the people you could have come across along the road. You came across me… a medic. You still have a part in this world no matter what you think or say. The proof is all in you standing here before me."

He looked up at the sky. The sun was nearly setting now as the forest was painted with golden light. He closed his eyes before a breeze hit the both of them.

"You had asked why I had taken you." he reminded her. His voice sounded different this time. It was lighter… though it was still as smooth as ever.

"…yes I did… but that was when I wasn't myself" she told him, even though she did think about it constantly.

"Hn…" He opened his eyes after the breeze died down, still looking towards the sky. "Do you still seek an answer?" he asked.

She stood there thinking for a moment all the while assessing his face. "No… whatever the reason may have been… it doesn't matter now."

He looked down to her with ebony eyes.

She caught her breath at the sight, but then she smiled. She smiled at him. For a second she swore she saw that dim light behind his eyes flicker bright and this only widened her smile.

'He trusts me….' She thought ecstatic. 'He trusts me.'

"It was your eyes." He told her.

"What?" she breathed, suddenly confused.

"That day we met… when I saw your eyes… They were unreadable to me… it took moments longer to decipher them than normal…. And then they changed again, and I couldn't help but notice how similar they were to my own…" he told her.

She was speechless. Her breath hitched in her throat.

He continued, "…That's how I knew what you did, and that's how I know how to treat it…. But once you commit an act such as that… you can't help but lose parts of yourself." He warned her.

She looked down, preparing herself to cry, but no tears formed in her eyes. She looked back up to him worry in her eyes, but absent from her features.

"This is the only path your mind can take to preserve its sanity." He told her. "Unless… you fight it."

Her eyes widened in fright. She could end up losing herself all together from what she had done. The murder she had committed. But how do you fight something that is happening inside you?

She shut her eyes tightly, trying to concentrate with all her might to try and fight whatever was killing her inside.

She opened them and found the world outside of herself blurry. She looked up to Itachi and saw two of him. Her sight began to come back to normal after she looked to the ground and massaged her head from the on coming headache she was getting.

She looked back up to Itachi and saw that there wasn't two of him at all, there was a person behind him. She tried to scream, but felt like a hand was gripping her throat and she was unable to speak.

The figure moved forward and all she could do was watch in horror as he lifted a kunai in his hand. She tried to move, but all she succeeded was in falling to the ground.

Her eyes bulged in terror as the figure lifted the kunai even higher and brought it down upon Itachi's back. She shut her eyes at the point of impact, and all she heard was the thud of a body hitting the forest floor and the cawing of crows.

* * *

Hello!!

again sorry about everything...

well ummm... geeze this chapter took along time... it was really frustrating everything I wrote came out like crap... and beleive me this was the best version of the crap so Im sorry

I know I dont deserve it but I seriously need a confidence booster right no because this chapter it pretty crappy

SO PLEASE R&R I LOVE YOU ALL!!


	9. Chapter 9

Hey everyone so sorry for the wait I had vacation... yea I know I should have told you guys sooner but it came out of no where beleive me... well anyway here it is:

REVIEWERS YOU ALL ARE GODLY!!

crazy fan 35-- haha I love you you are soo positive

Cster-- oh thanks you are too kind... but yea I always think my chapters are crappy, but you brightened my day!!

TeenageCrisis-- seriously? the best sofar in my story? woah you ARE too nice geeze... BUT I THANK YOU HEHE

xXSalaciousXx-- haha thanks you know I try I try

XxCryingAngel67--love that name by the way, but back to the "thanks" I would like to say that I thank you very much... it seriously helped alot like all the others.

La Mariposa3795-- haha thanks I'm glad it caused goosebumps YESSSS!! oh and sorry bout the wait

burningdarkness-- haha its k... but I was going to explain the whole eyes thing in this one just for you but it sounded so random that I had to take it out but I promise I will elaborate further later onn with that ... oh and thanks for the confidence booster IT SERIOUSLY HELPED haha well here ya go...

Yami416-- haha your welcome and now I should be begging for forgiveness because this took so long, like I read you comment and I began working right away on this chapter but I stopped halfway through and then I couldnt get back on the same rythm I had before when I was writing it. SO SO SORRY!!

Kazuki-kun is an A and an A-- haha thanks so much for commenting on every chpter... your a trooper!! Haha well heres more...

Toxic Cupcakes-- I love your name too by the way but I know what you mean with the whole updating faster I'm so sorry well thank you sooo much for the booster here ya go...

Escaping Dawn

Chapter 9:

The sound of dead body weight hitting the ground next to her filled her ears. The impact shot a layer of dust onto her skin, coating it. She didn't dare open her eyes; afraid of what the world outside of them might show her. Though she knew very well of what she might have seen.

Behind her eyelids, she was safe…. Out of sight… out of mind…, but that was only what she was trying to convince herself. Everything slowed she thought; even though she didn't see it… she could feel it.

The sounds of her breathing was deafening, but entirely too slow for the situation… no in true time, she was gasping for air, because her breaths were too shallow from the pain that swelled in her chest, why it was there was a mystery to her…. She was not physically hurt… she knew that much… so then what was it?

She could hear the steady steps coming… for her. They echoed in her mind… taunting her, but something odd happened… she felt a strange sense of calm. She was at peace with this fate of that she will die along with Itachi... it was… serene.

She felt her emotions drain leaving her an impassive shell of her former self. The only thing that consumed her mind now was a want… she needed to injure this man, cause him pain for the pain he had just caused her.

She knew subconsciously that she would die during this… and that's exactly why she still felt at peace. How could she survive when invincible Itachi fell prey to him? She opened her eyes, but was blinded by thousands of crows flying in every direction.

She ignored them… they were not her focus. On shaky limbs she stood and faced the cloaked man. He flashed a toothy grin, but she hardly reacted to it at all. Instead she slid numerous senbon into both hands, each glinting in the setting sun.

She raised her hand aiming at all his vitals that were open to her. But before she could throw, she found herself looking Itachi in the face.

Her eyes widened in shock, as all her locked emotions came flooding back into her. "How?!" she blurted out as she staggered a bit.

She tried to move to see behind him where his body had been just lying, but found her actions restricted from his grip on both of her wrists.

He ignored the question and assessed her eyes with stone cold features. They bore into her face and she couldn't help but stare back trying to see if he was real or not. Was she already dead? Had she not been able to hurt this intruder before she had died? What a waste of a life… After a moment he let go of her and turned toward the man who had assaulted him.

It was then she saw that there was no body lying on the ground, and his back was perfectly normal, no wound was to be found. It was a clone.

She let her arms swing down uselessly at her sides. She felt stiff, and somewhat empty, but most of all relief spread through her… so he had not died? She looked up when she heard the other man's voice.

"You're such a hard man to kill Itachi… ya know that?" the man said completely amused. Sakura couldn't help but silently agree to this. The large man was hidden by the shadows the forest made in the low light of the evening, though his silhouette was able to be seen. He was monstrous.

"Aren't we all…? Kisame." Itachi responded lacking the added amusement the other had.

Kisame stepped forward into the last remaining light streaming through the woods. His sharp teeth sparkled in it as he smiled at his old partner.

"No…" he laughed, but it sounded more like a rough snort. "Just you."

"Madara sent you didn't he?" Itachi asked, but it sounded more like a statement than a question.

"Quick and to the point." Kisame snorted. "That's what I like about you Uchiha… to bad we have to kill you." He added cocking his head to the side.

"What makes you think you can?" Itachi probed.

Kisame grunted. "I'm not here to kill… yet unfortunately… I'm here to send you a message."

"I'm listening."

"Oh cooperative today aren't we? Well he told me to tell you that he has Sasuke under his wing now" Kisame said adding a sadistic smirk. "…and he also told me to tell you something about how after all your planning you still couldn't change the future." He added shaking his head in puzzlement. He stopped and took a step forward. "… so who's the babe?" he asked nodding his head at Sakura.

Her head was filled with questions… 'Why would Itachi care about Sasuke? How was Madara still alive? And what was Itachi planning that could change the future besides his own defeat?' She snapped back to the present when she realized that the shark-man was asking about her.

"You served your purpose… now leave" Itachi said ignoring Kisame's question completely.

She noticed his tone was deeper than usual. It felt so ominous and unnerving. She couldn't see his face, for his back was facing her but when he turned and walked away from the man, she glimpsed his eyes before he closed them.

They were darker, and the sharingan spun, much like the night in the hotel. He was mad… and it frightened her to no end. He was hardly emotional… and all of a sudden he was at such a degree it scared her… froze her… she couldn't move even as Kisame approached her and examined her like puzzle piece, trying to figure out where she fit in to the full puzzle of Itachi.

No… Itachi wasn't a puzzle that could be eventually solved, no matter how hard it was… he was a puzzle maker, able to make thousands of puzzles, confusing others to no end. She just happened to fit into one of them… she thought… she hoped…

He finished his exam and was about to leave but he turned back to her and brought his mouth to her ears, "Tell Itachi this and this exactly…" he whispered threateningly. "…He is a ghost upon this earth, dead but alive… but if he were to get in the way of our plans, we will expose him and he will become flesh and blood once more." He withdrew leaving a stunned Sakura and left in a blink of an eye.

After a minute or so she collapsed to her knees, unable to take in everything that just happened at once.

She sat there vacant long after the sun dove below the horizon. The words that Kisame had said repeated through her mind.

Itachi came back halfway through the night. She still sat there on her knees, staring at the ground before her.

He approached, but kept a minor distance. He waited until she looked up at him. She knew this but she wasn't sure if she wanted to yet. Here she was working so hard to see emotions from him, but the only emotion that he seemed he could show was anger.

He was calm and composed at the time, but she saw his eyes, she heard him in the woods causing destruction by his katons. No… she wasn't ready to face him… to face the truth about him.

Still he stood before her. Waiting.

She closed her eyes as her vision became blurry from gathering tears, but quickly opened them in shock. He was kneeling on one knee, facing her as he held her hand in his own. She stared at her hand embraced in his and watched as he moved his thumb over her hand in a comforting motion. His movement seemed a bit uncertain, but as she looked at his face it showed no doubt.

She sniffed, though no tears came forth. She felt a sensation consume her as he continued to hold her hand. A type of warmth she thought, but still she didn't know what it was truly, but she knew that at the end of it she felt content. It was wrong she shouldn't be feeling this with him… but it felt so right. They were alike in their situations, weren't they? ...yet so different...

She looked back to his face. He felt her stare and looked up as well.

Her eyes blurred with tears again as she saw his ebony eyes, but that wasn't it at all… they seemed so much more faded than before… so much more like a ghost she had once thought he was. She did see flashes of emotion behind those dark eyes, but they always receded back to their faded state.

She gripped his hand, and he stopped moving his thumb.

She forced herself to look at his eyes, though she wanted so desperately to look away.

"They know you're alive..." she began quietly. "They'll find you… they'll find me." She looked down holding back the tears. "I don't want to lose you…"

Silence consumed them. She couldn't say that it was awkward or comfortable. It was just there, a needed pause to think about everything.

"I thought I had lost you back there… I felt like I died…I knew that if this man had killed you, I stood no chance, yet I stood and prepared to fight… prepared to die…." She looked up at his face and met his unwavering eyes. "…at your side."

He continued to look her in the eyes, but that only forced her to look away.

'What am I doing?' she asked herself. 'I'm just wasting my breath… I thought he had cared when he took my hand… but I can see I was wrong.'

She was pulled out of her thoughts when her chin was being slowly brought up to meet his eyes.

He studied her for a moment, looking hard into her eyes, and then withdrew his hand from her chin. He closed his own eyes and let his head hang a bit.

She scanned his features. With his eyes closed she was able to see a handsome man behind his reputation.

He opened his eyes again and looked intently at their hands. "I'm not what you're looking for…" he said quietly, but he was able to maintain that smoothness he possessed. He slid his hand from beneath hers and stood, facing his back towards her, he looked out into the night.

"Maybe you're right… Today I saw a part of you that I hadn't thought existed… or I completely ignored…. But either way, I saw it today… the part of you that most likely earned you your reputation." He stood motionless, at this she knew she had his attention.

She stood up and faced his back with a sudden strength she felt, talking as if he was still looking at her, "But if I'm not mistaken… I now have a reputation close to your own… maybe not as big, but the same nonetheless… so tell me… _what_ am I looking for?" she probed.

He was a statue as he continued to stare out into the forest before him; nothing caught his attention even as a buck ran through the clearing not more than ten feet away.

He shifted his gaze towards the starry, night sky, "You asked what I think you are looking for… the truth is you're not looking for anything… you didn't expect anything to find… yet you stumbled upon something that you thought you might want, forgetting the danger of the situation and who you are dealing with completely. That's what I believe."

She looked down. He had been right but wrong, so very wrong. "I've never forgotten who you are; it had just been replaced by what I found you to be… and the danger… Here in front of you… I see and feel no danger."

He eyes snapped down to hers, but before she could read them he was behind her in a heart beat… no… much, much faster. He held a kunai to her throat, leaving no room for movement.

Her eyes instinctively shut tight. She knew that if she reacted badly to this it would only prove the point he was making. But she couldn't help the shivers that ran down her spine, and her hitched breaths. She had to gain control of herself… now. She breathed deeply through her nostrils and swallowed feeling as if all the emotions went down her throat away from her mind. The movement caused the kunai to slightly cut into her throat, but she didn't care. It was only too small versus to what was really at stake.

She could feel his eyes boring into the back of her head, watching her every move and analyzing.

"Go ahead… do it… free me from this pitiful life." She opened her eyes and looked ahead of here where only moments before he had stood. "I didn't want to admit it, but its happening to me again. I'm falling for the wrong guy all over again. First Sasuke now you."

She felt the pressure from the kunai on her throat slightly weaken at the mention of Sasuke's name. "What is it that attracts me to you Uchihas? There were so many others that I could have settled for… but that's just it isn't it, I would have to force myself to settle for them, but I couldn't love them. I couldn't just tolerate them, and live the easy life… no… I had to challenge myself and… and… die" she swallowed and looked to the ground as she felt more weight of the kunai being released from her throat. "But after all this time, after all that searching for Sasuke, I had finally given up and focused on my own life rather than fight for something that was long gone even before he had left. But like everything else I ever encountered, my life took a turn for the worse, and then I found myself running from everything I believed, finding it all to be a lie. That's when you showed up and somehow renewed me. I had no where to go, no one to run to and you saved me, whether you intended too or not it doesn't matter to me. You are a hero in my eyes no matter what you may have committed or done in the past. You were something I never could have anticipated or dreamed. And that's what I'm looking for, my entire life I had been looking for you… I thought I saw it in your brother but I was fooled because he was just related to you and just picked up some of the traits you possessed, because you are the real thing."

By now the weight of the kunai was completely gone from her throat as she collapsed to her knees, lost in her story, viewing images of her past, images of her crimes… Her eyes were far away.

She subconsciously laid herself down onto the dusty ground below. She was all alone now, she could feel it… he had left her.

….

….

…

…

…

She awoke to the sun beating on her eyelids, bidding them to open and wake up for the new day. But she ignored their request and turned over to face the darkness. She didn't want to open her eyes and see how terrible her life was about to get.

She kept her eyes closed though she was obviously awake now; she hated how once she woke she could never fall back asleep. She felt warm for sleeping outside, but that was probably some survival technique her body had, besides the dust that coated her provided her a nice blanket.

Flashbacks filled her head once she began thinking again. She shut her eyes tighter trying to squeeze them from behind her eyes, but she couldn't stop them.

She tried to make sense of the flashes as she gave up on blocking them out. How could such a terrible night turn so perfect and then terrible again? She didn't want to think about it anymore and then realized the only way for them to stop was to open her eyes and face her new challenges of the day.

When she opened them she found her eyesight blurry from the tears the coated them. She didn't even know they were there until now. As soon as she realized what they had been for, her stomach felt as if lead had inhibited it, and pressed her down into her comforter.

'Hold on a sec… comforter?'

She blinked her eyes and cleared her vision as she sat up. She was in a bed with cotton sheets. She thought the dust was the blanket but now she saw otherwise. Looking down at her arms she found them clean, but she could still feel the dust in her hair and clothes. But as she looked at what she was wearing it was a light robe, keeping her filthy clothes from soiling her bed. She looked around the room and found that the hearth was the source of warmth as well not her own body.

She briefly moved her legs testing them to see if there were no chains bound to them. They were free. She emerged from the bed and walked around the room inspecting everything. There was an old bookcase filled with many books she had already read. There was dresser that was empty on the other side next to the door leading out.

She approached the door cautiously, expecting at any second for someone, Itachi or not to explode through it and tie her up. She finally reached it, a hand on the door knob, and no one had come yet. She listened very intently; no one was waiting for her to leave either.

She opened it hesitantly and slipped out as soon as the opening was wide enough. She headed down a long hallway filled with doors to the opening at the end that led to small kitchen. To the right was a type of family made obvious from the close chairs surrounding a hearth. There was a reinforced door to right of it all that led out no doubt.

She approached it, dying to see where she was. She opened the door and found herself looking out into a huge clearing among immense trees. Scattered about were many Cherry blossom trees, not yet in full bloom, but still the sight was breathtaking. A stream was in the depth of the hills that took place there. The house was on the largest hill, but there were a few more around it. One completely bare, but all the others were adorned with the trees.

A gust of wind blew into her face, as she closed her eyes and breathed in the fragrance that came with it. It was sweet from all the flowers among the trees.

She felt a presence at her side and instantly opened her eyes searching for it.

Itachi stood to the side of her, looking out into the rolling hills as well.

He spoke in a low murmur, "This is my favorite place… I come here to escape everything." After that a paused for a moment and then walked forward down the slope making his way to the stream below.

He didn't say it, but she knew what he meant, _'You can use it to escape too…'_

* * *

_So sorry again that this took too long but I need suggestions I know where this isgoin but I dont know quite how to get there yet hmmm? is that confusing? yea oh well sorry anyway!!_


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